My gluttonous moment has passed and I have put away all my gooey cheese, pasta, and pork products (temporarily, of course –everything in balance). I am back to embracing salads and my favorite type of salad is one that includes bread. I don’t care if its croutons or a roll on the side — I’m in. My all-time favorite, however, is a panzanella salad. What is better than crunchy bread brought back to life with a little dressing? OK, yes, bacon… but we’re being virtuous this week, so work with me!!
There were a couple of things that caught my interest with this recipe for Chickpea Panzanella which I found in Cooking Light magazine. First of course, was the chickpeas. I adore chickpeas. The other was the fact that this salad had artichoke hearts. I cannot say I love artichoke hearts. I didn’t think I hated them either. Truth be told, with the exception of spinach artichoke dip, I just haven’t had much exposure to them. I thought this would be an excellent time to try them out. Everything else in this salad I know I adored so perhaps this would be the vehicle to win me over. The salad was excellent. The artichoke hearts? Meh. I can honestly say I would like the salad more without them. Maybe next time I’ll swap them out for cucumbers or roasted peppers. My husband can have his dislike for watercress, I apparently dislike artichoke hearts.
Chickpea Panzanella
Serves 5 – (seriously, that’s what they say!)
Ingredients:
1 (8-oz.) ciabatta loaf
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 (15-oz.) can unsalted chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 (8.5-oz.) can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about 3/4 cup)
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
Procedure:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove and discard crust from ciabatta; cut bread into 1/2-inch cubes. Spread bread cubes in an even layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 12 minutes or until toasted and golden.
Combine toasted bread, tomatoes, chickpeas, artichoke hearts, feta, onion, and basil in a large bowl.
In a separate smaller bowl, combine oil, vinegar, oregano, pepper, and salt. Stir with a whisk. Pour over salad; toss to combine. Garnish with chopped fresh basil.
