CorkPopper

Though you wouldn’t know it by the weather here in LA (it’s been mid 60s and gray for weeks now… grrrrrr…), Summer is in full swing, which, for those of us who love to cook, especially with market-fresh ingredients, is absolute bliss.  There is truly no shortage of gorgeous local produce at any farmers’ market, but I was recently treated with something even better – some absolutely enormous Cherokee Purple heirloom tomatoes straight from the the garden of a good friend of mine (thanks LM!!!).  While I could sit down with one of those babies and just bite away at it like an apple, I thought I’d try out something a little different and put my own spin on an Italian classic – Panzanella.

Panzanella is a traditional Italian salad usually consisting of sliced bread and tomatoes tossed with lettuce, basil, olive oil and vinegar, although you can pretty much throw in whatever you have lying around, which is why it’s also known as the “leftover salad.”  I decided to impart a little of my own personality in my version with grilled bread (duh), grilled onion, and a giant dollop of creamy burrata cheese right on top.  Easy?  Check.  Delicious?  Double check.  Here’s how to make it yourself….

Heirloom Tomato and Burrata Panzanella

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1 or 2 large Cherokee Purple heirloom tomatoes
• Crusty Italian bread
• 1 small red onion
• Mixed baby greens
• A handful of basil leaves
• Burrata cheese
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Balsamic vinegar
• Freshly ground pepper and sea salt

Preparation:

Heat the grill to medium.  Slice the bread in half, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with some sea salt.  Slice the onion in half and do the same.  Place the onion on the grill first, as it will take longer to caramelize and soften a bit.  When the onion is nice and browned, add the bread, seasoned side down, to the grill.  Cover.  Remove the bread and the onion when the bread is nice and golden brown.

Slice the tomato and dice into large pieces.  Do the same with the bread and the onion.  Chop the basil.  Toss the lettuce, basil, tomato and onion together in a large bowl with some more olive oil and balsamic vinegar.   Use a bit more oil and vinegar than you think you need, as you want there to be enough to flavor the bread as well.  Add the bread and toss a bit more.

Plate the salad and then top each with a heaping dollop of burrata cheese.  Season with some freshly ground pepper. 

4.5 forks here!  Yum!!

Cheers!