Last week, I made this super yummy, rich and decadent Apple Rum Bread Pudding with Butterscotch Rum Sauce and bought 2 long loaves of french bread. It turns out, I only ever needed one.
So what to do with the leftover stale bread?
PANZANELLA.
Fresh juicy tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, red onion and basil leaves mixed with bread cubes toasted in olive oil and herbs, soaking up a delicious, tangy, slightly sweet Dijon mustard vinaigrette.
You can NEVER go wrong with any of Ina Garten's recipes.
Even my non-salad-eating colleagues enjoyed this.
Healthy, refreshing and just perfect on a hot summer day!
Happy eating, everyone!
7 small red tomatoes, cut into quarters
1 medium sized cucumber, seeded and cut (your preference)
half of a medium red onion, cut thinly
8 whole black olives, sliced thinly
a handful of fresh basil leaves
half a loaf of french bread, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
little drizzle of olive oil to coat the bread cubes
Mrs. Dash seasoning or Italian seasoning
SWEET DIJON MUSTARD VINAIGRETTE
3 small cloves of garlic, minced finely
2 tbsp + 1 tsp lemon juice
1.5 tsp dijon mustard
2 tbsp honey
1/4 + 1/8 cup olive oil
1/4 + 1/8 cup olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp pepper
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Spread the bread cubes in a non-stick baking sheet. Drizzle some olive oil over it and sprinkle some DASH seasoning or Italian seasoning. Mix with clean hands until properly coated. Toast for 5-10 minutes until lightly brown and crisp. Set aside.
Whisk the lemon juice, honey, garlic and mustard together in a bowl. Slowly add the olive oil while whisking to make an emulsion. Add the salt and pepper. Mix well. Set aside.
Mix the tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olives, basil and bread cubes in a bowl. You may use all of the vinaigrette or just how much of it you want to add to the salad. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad. Season with salt and pepper. Toss gently. Allow to sit at room temperature for half an hour before serving to blend the flavors.
Whisk the lemon juice, honey, garlic and mustard together in a bowl. Slowly add the olive oil while whisking to make an emulsion. Add the salt and pepper. Mix well. Set aside.
Mix the tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olives, basil and bread cubes in a bowl. You may use all of the vinaigrette or just how much of it you want to add to the salad. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad. Season with salt and pepper. Toss gently. Allow to sit at room temperature for half an hour before serving to blend the flavors.