This summer tomato peach panzanella is filled with juicy late summer vegetables. Salt and drain all the veggies over a bowl and then use the juices as a base for a flavorful summer vinaigrette. A panzanella is hard to beat, and they are made to serve a crowd. Enjoy!
2earssweet corn on the cobboiled for 5 minutes then cut from the cob
1small to medium cucumberpeeled, quartered and sliced
½cupsliced Vidalia onion(red onion would work well here, too)
1smallbell pepperwashed, seeded and diced
2teaspoonskosher salt
1teaspoonFruit Fresh (to keep peaches from browning)
¾poundItalian bread (ciabatta, focaccia, etc)
2-3Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1-2clovesminced garlic
1teaspoonDijon mustard
freshly ground black pepperto taste
½cupextra virgin olive oil or grapeseed oil
10-12large basil leavestorn or chopped with a very sharp knife
4-6ozfresh mozzarellatorn into bite-sized pieces
Instructions
Blanch the tomatoes and peaches for about 1 minute to loosen the skins. Peel and cut them into bite-sized pieces.
Place the tomatoes and peaches in a colander set over a bowl large enough to hold all the ingredients, including the bread. Add corn, cucumber, onion, and bell pepper.
Sprinkle with salt and Fruit Fresh and toss well. Allow to drain about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the oven to 350. Cut crust off the bread (or leave it on) and cut or pull into bite-sized pieces. Spread the bread out on a baking sheet and bake about 20 minutes, tossing once or twice. Let cool.
You should have a nice amount of juices collected in your bowl. To that, add the vinegar, garlic, mustard, and black pepper. Whisk well to combine.
While whisking madly, stream in the olive or grapeseed oil. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. You can also add a bit more vinegar if you want it sharper or more oil if you like your vinaigrettes more mellow.
Add the reserved vegetables, cooled bread and almost all the herbs and fold together to evenly moisten the bread. Allow to sit for at least half an hour or up to an hour, folding a couple of times.
Add the torn mozzarella and the reserved basil to the top for serving. You can toss everything together once everyone has seen your gorgeous salad.