Asparagus Panzanella
Prep Time: 20 Mins
Cook Time: 25 Mins
Total Time: 45 Mins
Serves: 4
Panzanella is an Italian chopped salad of soaked stale bread and an assortment of vegetables. In Salt Fat Acid Heat, Samin Nosrat makes a Panzanella for every season with seasonal produce. I follow her recipe for the hand-torn croutons, which are the very best I have ever had, crispy on the outside but still soft enough that you don’t break a tooth biting them. Traditional panzanella recipes soak half the croutons in dressing and leave the other half crunchy. To make this recipe healthier, I reduce the amount of dressing used and do not soak the croutons in the dressing; I want all of the crunch!
Ingredients
1 small clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cups hand-torn artisanal bread (slice the bread into 3cm pieces, remove the crust, and then tear into even cubes)
1 bunch (450g) asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into 2cm pieces
1 cup (160g) baby tomatoes, quartered
10 basil leaves
Salt
Dressing:
1 tablespoon finely diced shallot
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400F. To make the croutons, add the garlic to the olive oil in a small bowl with a pinch of salt, then add the torn bread and mix to coat. On a lined baking sheet, spread the croutons in an even layer without overcrowding. Bake for 18-22 minutes, checking them after 8 minutes, and mixing them so they brown evenly. Continue to check every couple of minutes to ensure they do not burn. Set aside to cool.
Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Salt the water and add the asparagus, blanching them for about 2-4 minutes, depending on thickness, until just tender. Drain and let cool.
Make the dressing. Add the shallot and both vinegars to a small bowl and let sit for 10-15 minutes to macerate. Add the olive oil, a pinch of salt, and pepper.
To assemble the salad, toss the asparagus and tomatoes with 2-3 tablespoons of the dressing. Top with the croutons and the basil and serve.
