Panzanella Salad With Bacon & Eggs

Now that tomatoes are truly in season and I happened to have a few overripe ones begging to burst on the counter and a day old loaf of bread to boot - I intuitively knew it was time for Panzanella.

Panzanella is an Italian bread salad with cucumbers, onions and tomatoes tossed with red wine vinaigrette and chunky, buttery, garlicky croutons.

I made the croutons early this morning and I'll be frank; it was nearly impossible for me to stop nibbling on them warm from the oven.

Then it hit me.

Soft boiled eggs and bacon! I was imagining the eggs melding with the vinaigrette and tomato juices - and then the salty, crispy bacon folded in.

I was salivating.

So, I made it for breakfast and have enough croutons to make it again for dinner. I am downright giddy.

Panzanella would be great as a side or a main dish for any meal. I think the one thing that might take it over the edge would be to serve it with a plate of some exquisite goat cheese like Capriole's* Piper's Pyramid.

This salad is truly a seasonal delight - don't let summer get away without it.

Panzanella Salad with Bacon and Eggs

Ingredients:

Croutons:
1 rustic country loaf cut up into chunky 1 inch cubes
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 small cloves garlic, minced

Eggs & Bacon:
2 large eggs either boiled or poached to your preference
3 to 4 thick slices of bacon fried until crisp

Salad:
2 medium tomatoes and all their glorious juices roughly chopped
1 large cucumber peeled, seeded and chopped
1 half large red onion sliced into half moons
handful torn basil leaves

Dressing:
good red wine vinegar & extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Make croutons by gently heating butter, olive oil, garlic and some salt in a sauce pan. Heat for just a few minutes until you can smell the garlic permeate the fat. Do not let garlic brown at all. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. Toss in a mixing bowl with bread and use your hands to evenly coat all the croutons. Lick your fingers dry and bow your head in gratitude. Place croutons in the oven on baking sheets at 350 for 7 to 10 minutes until golden brown and slightly crunchy. They will harden more as they come to room temperature. You will have extra so keep them in a sealed container for later use. You can then re-warm them in the oven for a few minutes if they've gotten any humidity in them.

Cut up tomatoes, cucumbers and onions in a bowl, season with salt and pepper.

Toss the tomatoes, cucs, onions and croutons together and add the vinegar and olive oil to taste. I would add a little more vinegar than you think you'll need because it's tang will get absorbed by the bread. Let sit for 30 minutes at room temperature so flavors can meld. Tear basil and toss in. Slice eggs and crumble bacon and place on top or serve on the side.

*Capriole Goat Cheeses are locally produced in Southern Indiana and sold at Green City Market, Whole Foods and Pastoral in Lakeview and in the Loop on Lake Street.

Homemade Tzatziki

The journal from my trip to the Greek Islands many years ago reads a little like Cheech and Chong's, How I Spent My Summer Vacation. Day after day, it went a little something like this:

"Woke up. Went to the cafe for breakfast. Ate Greek yogurt, fruit and honey. Drank coffee, very black. Went to the beach. Swam in the sea. Went to the cafe for lunch. Ate Greek salad, tzatziki and grilled fish. Played Ouzo-soaked backgammon on the pier until near blind. Went to the cafe for dinner. Ate Greek salad, tzatziki and grilled lamb. Drank a bottle of Retsina. Shook it hard at the disco. Passed out at 3 am."

I never wanted for lack of anything in Greece. The daily repetition of meals suited me just fine. The food was as local, fresh and simple as one could ask for.

It's remarkable how those meals influenced the way I cook today. In fact, one of the classic comfort staples in my home is tzatziki. You know, it's not just for Gyros anymore. I'll put it aside almost any protein - fish, chicken, lamb or beef. I'll do a composed salad of sliced and chopped vegetables such as cucumbers, radishes, celery, beets, green beans, favas, fennel and radicchio - dress it in red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper, add little mounds of feta and olives on the side and finish it with an over-sized dollop of tzatziki. I've also been known to dunk pretzels or really good kettle chips in it, crack a bottle of beer and call it a meal. Sometimes it just hits the spot.

This recipe was given to me by my friend and chef, Mark Graham in Seattle, Washington. It has since been adapted for my very garlicky, lemony and full fat preferences. Feel free to cut back on any of those to suit your tastes.

Tzatziki

One large tub whole milk yogurt - I use Greek yogurt like the Fage brand which is extra thick and requires no straining. If you use a traditional 32oz. yogurt, such as Stonyfield Farm you need to strain it for at least a few hours through cheesecloth or through a fine mesh sieve with a bowl underneath in the fridge.

3 to 4 pickling cucumbers halved, seeded and thinly sliced. You can use a mandoline, a vegetable peeler, a Cuisinart with the slicing blade or hell, just use a knife if you can get super thin half moons, that's fine. You can use the larger, more watery cukes but you have to squeeze the water out of them after you've sliced them: wrap them in a cotton dishtowel and squeeze like mad over the sink. If you omit this step they will give off a lot of water and make your tzatziki thin and tasteless.

salt and pepper to taste
juice and zest of one medium sized lemon
3 to 4 cloves garlic, pressed
heaping piles of finely chopped fresh basil and mint to taste

Mix all ingredients in a non-reactive bowl and let sit in fridge to chill until flavors meld.