This is why I run: Bread and Wine (Grilled Veggie Panzanella Salad)

A Book of Verses underneath the Bough, 

A Jug of Wine, a Loaf of Bread--and Thou 

Beside me singing in the Wilderness-- 

Oh, Wilderness were Paradise enow! 

 

- Edward Fitzgerald's translation of Quatrain XII of Omar Khayyam's The Rubaiyat

Credit to Andi Graham for this photo taken at a local winery on a GNO.

Yes, I admit I run because I like to have bread and wine... and chocolate... and... you get the point. Or at least that is why I started running. (Ok, it is slow running AKA jogging.) Now I also run because I like to hear my breathing, smell the changing things in bloom, feel myself moving forward. It's also fascinating what goes through one's mind when it is allowed to wander. But I digress. You are here for the Panzanella. 

My second CSA share was filled with goodness. The mix called out for roasted veggies. I also had some leftover rosemary artisan bread. And it was too hot to turn on the oven, thus the grill. 

Salad Ingredients:

• 3(ish) cups assorted vegetables, chopped into bite-sized pieces. I used: zucchini, yellow squash, fingerling potatoes, broccoli, onion, sugar snap peas (these added when other veggies were mostly done.) Use whatever you have. Since things like potatoes and carrots take longer to cook, either put them in first or parboil them first. 
• Olive oil, which I rarely measure and don't plan to start
• 1tbsp fresh rosemary cut up a bit (or other herb - thyme would be nice, too)
• 4 slices french bread - or artisan bread or any bread you have around
• 1.5(ish) cups salad greens (I had salanova lettuce, but any will do fine)
• Optional protein: Dice leftover meat, nuts or beans

Dressing:

• 1 minced garlic clove
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1.5 tsp. dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper as you like

Directions:
Toss veggies with olive oil and rosemary. Put in grill pan on the grill and cook at about 400 degrees until slightly charred, soft, and yummy. Time will really depend upon your grill and the veggies chosen. You can also roast them in an oven and it will probably take around 20-30 min. When about done, brush bread with olive oil and put on grill for about a minute on each side to toast and get the edges just a little charred. (Could be done under broiler if not grilling.) Remove all from grill and dice bread.

Put the salad greens in a serving bowl, top with grilled veggies. Top that with diced bread. Add protein if using. Drizzle with dressing and lightly toss. (Oh yeah, you should put all dressing ingredients in a container with a good lid and shake it like crazy.) You can top this with cheese and or fresh herbs (basil and oregano, perhaps) if you like. I thought it was rich enough without the cheese, but I'd never stand between someone and their desire to add cheese to anything.

Enjoying the meal al fresco with house Pinot Noir.

I understand that traditionally panzanella has tomatoes in it. If I'd had them I would have added to the grill pan, but they aren't quite in season yet in Oregon. I actually ate half of this and didn't dress the other half until the next day. I warmed it just a tiny bit to take the refrigerator chill off and the greens survived just fine.

This is what was on my table. Okay, so it wasn't in this moment, but I am thinking about it in this moment and I wanted to get a couple of recipes up to start the blog. Just one seemed lonely. Enjoy what is on your table.