Summer Bread Salad

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Servings:
8

Bread salad tossed with a light champagne vinaigrette pairs perfectly with our Simple Salt-and-Pepper Grilled Chicken.

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons champagne vinegar

  • 1 medium shallot, finely chopped

  • Coarse salt

  • 8 ounces green beans, trimmed

  • 1 pound baby zucchini or regular zucchini, cut into ½-inch pieces

  • 1 pound small ripe tomatoes, such as cocktail or cherry, halved

  • 1 English cucumber, cut into ½-inch dice

  • 2 tablespoons grainy Dijon mustard

  • 2 tablespoons smooth Dijon mustard

  • ¼ cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped

  • ¼ cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped

  • Freshly ground pepper, to taste

  • ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

  • 8 ounces ciabatta (about ½ loaf), torn into 1-inch pieces

Directions

  1. Combine vinegar and shallot in a bowl; set aside to let shallot soften.

  2. Prepare an ice-water bath. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon salt and green beans, and cook until bright green, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer green beans to ice-water bath. Add zucchini to boiling water, and cook until just tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer zucchini to ice-water bath. Let cool, then drain.

  3. Toss green beans, zucchini, tomatoes, and cucumber in a large bowl.

  4. Add mustards, herbs, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to shallot mixture. Add 1/4 cup oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking until emulsified. Pour vinaigrette over vegetables, and toss. Let stand at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld. (Vegetables can be covered and refrigerated up to 2 days; bring to room temperature before serving.)

  5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place bread on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with remaining tablespoon oil, and toss. Toast, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Add croutons to salad, and toss. Let stand 1 hour before serving so that croutons can soften. If you prefer your croutons crisp, add them to the salad just before serving.

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