What's On the Side: Greek Panzanella Salad

My parents came to visit over the Fourth of July holiday, and prior to heading out to the waterski show and Independence Day fireworks at Boom Lake/Hodag Park on Thursday night, we enjoyed a picnic dinner outside by our lake. D manned the grill while I put together the side dishes. Our dinner included hamburgers (featuring local grass-fed ground beef from McLaughlin Family Farms) with all the fixins', my Dad's famous potato salad, sangria, and a panzanella salad. This salad is so good that it was the second time I'd made it in one week. The great thing about it is that all it takes is a little chopping and shaking to put it all together. I am definitely a crouton-lover, so the addition of grilled French bread chunks was right up my alley. The vinaigrette adds a fresh and tangy flavor to the salad and helps to meld all the flavors together. I think this salad tastes just as good the next day as it does when it's freshly made; the French bread cubes are definitely not as crisp on day two (or three, or four...), but what they lose in texture is more than made up for by the gain in flavor from the dressing.

Greek Panzanella Salad (printer-friendly version)
makes 6-8 servings as a side dish

For the salad:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 French bread loaf, cut in half
coarse sea salt
1 cucumber, peeled and quartered
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 orange bell pepper, diced
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 red onion, diced (to reduce the onion's sharp bite, rinse in cold water then drain)
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup pitted kalamata or black olives, chopped

For the vinaigrette:
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon ground sumac
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt

1. Use a pastry brush to spread the olive oil over both sides of the cut bread. Sprinkle the bread with coarse sea salt. Grill for 4-5 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Let cool, then cut into 1" chunks.
2. In a large serving bowl, stir together the cucumber, red pepper, orange pepper, tomatoes, onion, cheese, and olives. Add in the chunks of grilled bread.
3. In a small jar, add together the garlic, oregano, ground sumac, mustard, white wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Add the lid to the jar and shake to combine. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
4. Pour about 3 tablespoons of the dressing onto the salad and stir. (Or, if you like tons of dressing, feel free to use it all; I prefer a lighter touch.) Let the salad sit for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors time to meld together.

(adapted from this Barefoot Contessa recipe, found via Shutterbean)

What's For Dinner: Roasted Autumn Vegetables Served Over Couscous

It was about time that I roasted up some of the vegetables we've received recently as part of our CSA share. For this meal, I roasted up eggplant, delicata squash, sweet potatoes, and red onion. The veggies were roasted in a mixture of olive oil, brown sugar, dried rosemary, salt, and pepper. Though we may be heading into a bit of an Indian Summer weather-wise, this meal reminded me that I am fully ready to embrace the flavors of fall.

Roasted Autumn Vegetables (printer-friendly version)
makes four servings

1 eggplant, peeled and cubed
1 delicata squash, peeled, de-seeded, and cubed
3 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 red onion, quartered
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons organic light brown sugar
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Set aside.
3. Add the peeled and cubed eggplant to a large colander. Sprinkle the eggplant evenly with salt. Set aside.
4. Add the cubed squash, sweet potatoes, and quartered red onion to a large bowl. Add in the olive oil, brown sugar, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Toss to combine the ingredients.
5. Rinse and drain the cubed eggplant. Add to the bowl of vegetables and toss to combine.
6. Season with additional salt and pepper if desired.
7. Spread the veggie mixture onto the prepped baking sheet. Make it as even a layer as possible.
8. Roast in the oven for 40 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove the baking sheet from the oven and flip the veggies to ensure even roasting. Return to the oven and back for an additional 20 minutes, or until the veggies are lightly browned.
9. Serve over a bed of couscous. Garnish with feta cheese crumbles.

What's On The Side: Homemade Pico de Gallo

We have a ton of tomatoes on hand at the moment -- and we need to eat them before they head over to the Dark Side. Since we decided that Mexican food would be on the menu for Monday night, I decided I'd try my hand at making some pico de gallo from scratch. I think the end result turned out well, though I completely forgot to pick up some fresh cilantro at the grocery store, and I think the fresh herb would've added a little something extra that the version pictured above lacked. Otherwise, not too shabby for my first try! Now, what to make with the rest of the tomatoes currently crowding the kitchen countertop?

Homemade Pico de Gallo (printer-friendly version)

makes about 2 cups

2 organic tomatoes, chopped

1/2 red onion, diced

1/2 green/red pepper, chopped

1 serrano* pepper, seeds and ribs removed, and diced

1 clove garlic, diced

juice from one lime

1/4 - 1/2 C fresh cilantro, chopped

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

1. Combine the prepared vegetables in a medium-sized bowl.

2. Add the freshly-squeezed lime juice and stir to combine.

3. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Serve with chips or as a condiment with tacos, tortillas, or burritos.

*Note: I bought serrano peppers thinking they were less hot than jalapeños; apparently they are actually significantly hotter. So, if you'd like less heat, use a jalapeño or other milder pepper.