This Charred Panzanella Salad with Sourdough is the perfect accompaniment to your weekend braai (barbecue). Today is officially three days into winter and I am sitting on the patio in the sun (granted wearing a light cardigan) planning a late afternoon braai. For sun-lovers like me, Joburg weather is really something.
A weekend braai is not only a very South African tradition, but somewhat of a staple in our household. Although one thing I have quickly tired of is the same old side-salad for a braai. We all know that green salad of childhood – iceberg lettuce, tomato, feta and cucumber. Why not do something different?
Enter the Charred Panzanella salad. It’s my take on the traditional Italian salad using crispy sourdough bread and a zesty tomato vinaigrette. The fire-charred elements add a smoky depth of flavour which complement the fresh tomatoes perfectly.
In a somewhat stereotypical fashion I usually hand over the ‘braaing’ part to my husband. In the meantime, I will salt the tomatoes which helps to draw out the juices for a tomato vinaigrette.
This salad is also a perfect use of that residual stale sourdough loaf we often have sitting in the bread bin. Instead of tossing it, it gets a second life here with an anointing of olive oil, a generous seasoning with salt and pepper, and crisping it up in the oven with a bit of garlic. It is impossible not to nibble on a few crispy pieces whilst still warm from the oven. You really want to use a good sourdough bread here with a thick crust. In Joburg we are lucky to have Linden Loaves, I have yet to taste better sourdough (even after having done their sourdough course and attempting it at home). If you aren’t as lucky with a local sourdough supplier, a ciabatta with a good crust can work too.
A lovely thing about this salad is you can change it up quite a bit whilst keeping the tomatoes, sourdough and vinaigrette constant. Grill any veg you want to – zucchini, mushrooms, red onion or even some corn. And whilst parmesan cheese shavings are my go-to with these flavours, grilled halloumi or fresh goats cheese are other also good options. As is feta, if you’re not too bored of it in salads.
When I am making this salad, I find that using locally produced Rozendal Fynbos Botanical Vinegar provides a complexity of flavour that goes unmatched (see note below). If you can get your hands on some, trust me it’s worth it!
Fire Charred Panzanella Salad
Ingredients
Tomatoes
- 1 punnet (250g) Mixed ripe tomatoes I like to use Woolworths Exotic Tomato Mix
- 1 tsp ground sea salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
Sourdough cubes
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2-3 thick slices sourdough bread or alternatively ciabatta
- 2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Grilled Veg
- 1 yellow bell pepper
- 1 red bell pepper
- 4-5 baby aubergines optional
Vinigrette
- 1 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed works out to half a lemon (lightly) squeezed
- 2 tbsp vinegar (red wine or light balsamic) For RSA residents, the Rosendal Fynbos balsamic-style vinegar works beautifully here
- 1 tsp brown sugar or sweetener of choice
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1/2 shallot, finely diced
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
To serve
- 70 g olives I like to use Woolworths marinated Pitted Black Kalamata Olives with a Hint of Herbs (see link below)
- 1-2 tbsp capers optional
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- to serve Parmesan shavings or hard cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200℃ to toast the sourdough cubes (this step can also be done on the braai/ barbecue if desired, but I prefer the crunchiness obtained in the oven).
Extract tomato juices
- Slice tomatoes into halves (or bite sized pieces if using larger tomatoes). Place into a colander set over a bowl large enough to catch juices. Toss through salt and pepper. Set aside to rest for 30 minutes (or whilst preparing the rest of the salad). Toss occasionally in between to release more juices from the tomatoes.1 punnet (250g) Mixed ripe tomatoes, 1 tsp ground sea salt, ½ tsp ground black pepper
Prepare crispy sourdough cubes
- Slice a garlic clove in half and rub over the sourdough slices. Slice the sourdough into large cubes (about 3cm or 1 inch). (If your bread is a bit too crumbly pop it in the toaster for a light toast first)3 cloves garlic, 2-3 thick slices sourdough bread
- Toss the sourdough cubes with a generous glug of olive oil to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Lay out on a baking tray in a single layer. Crush garlic cloves whole with the back of a knife and place in between sourdough. Grill in oven at 200℃ for 10 minutes or until crisp but still a bit soft in the middle. Set aside to cool. Remove the garlic cloves and mince one for the vinaigrette.2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Grill bell peppers and veg
- Grill the bell peppers and baby aubergines whole over a fairly hot fire until charred and softened. (I may be making this sound easier than it is, my husband usually does this part). Remove from the grill and set aside to cool.1 yellow bell pepper, 1 red bell pepper, 4-5 baby aubergines
- Once cool, remove white inner membrane and seeds from the peppers and slice into 1cm thick strips. (Optional: remove the skin from the peppers by placing them in a bowl covered in clingfilm straight from the grill. Steam for 10 minutes and the skin should be easy to peel off. If not too charred, I usually skip this step).
- Remove heads from aubergine and slice into quarters lengthways, depending on size.
Prepare vinaigrette
- Add lemon juice, vinegar, sugar, dijon mustard, diced shallot and the minced roasted garlic clove (from above) to the bowl of tomato juice. Whisk to combine.1/2 shallot, finely diced, 1 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed, 2 tbsp vinegar (red wine or light balsamic), 1 tsp dijon mustard, 1 tsp brown sugar
- Slowly whisk in olive oil a drizzle at a time to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Put the salad together
- Toss sourdough and tomatoes with the vinaigrette in a large bowl. Set aside for the bread to soften. I prefer the bread to hold a little crunch still and find 10-15 minutes does the trick.
- In a medium to large shallow dish, spoon out sourdough and tomatoes. Add olives, capers, grilled bell peppers and aubergines.70 g olives, 1-2 tbsp capers
- Top with picked basil leaves and parmesan shavings. Drizzle with olive oil and serve.1 cup fresh basil leaves, to serve Parmesan shavings
