Panzanella salad

Panzanella salads are one of my top 5 favorite spring/summer foods. I have been feeling a bit cheated by the tantalizing taste of spring we had the other week. 70-80 degree sunshine followed by 40 degree rain is a bit depressing. So to cheer myself up, I whipped up this summer special a little early. Serve with a glass of rose to really get in the springtime spirit!


Ingredients:

1 box cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 loaf of stale country bread (a baguette would also work here), torn into bite size pieces
1 green pepper, cut into small 1/2 inch pieces
1 English cucumber, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 tsp salt
2 teaspoons herbs de province
1/3 cup of good olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Salt & pepper

Directions:

Add vegetables and bread to a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the olive oil, herbs de Provence, vinegar, and salt. Toss vegetables with dressing and salt and pepper to taste. Let sit for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld before eating.


*Note: While most recipes call for garlic and basil in panzanella salads, I like to skip the garlic and add a bit of herbs de Provence to make the dish a bit more simple and pure. Using really good ingredients and olive oil is important though, since those flavors really take the spotlight!

Orzo Greek Salad

I love orzo and I love panzanella salads...this recipe is a kind of combination of the two. Perfect for a light lunch!

Orzo Greek Salad

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked orzo
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
3 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 red pepper, diced
20 pitted kalamata olives, cut into quarters
1/4 to 1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large lemon, halved
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
In a  large mixing bowl, add orzo, cucumber, tomatoes, peppers, olives, and parsley. Stir to combine.
Pour olive oil into orzo mixture. Juice the entire lemon into the same bowl. Add salt and grind pepper to taste. Stir gently to combine. Serve cold or at room temperature.