BREAD SALAD w/SUMMER VEGETABLES

By BobD

Ingredients

• 4 or more thick slices country bread, preferably a few days old and fairly dry
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon red- wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup extra- virgin olive oil
• 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and cut in thin strips
• 1 small or 1/2 of a large English cucumber (about 8 ounces), peeled and sliced into 1/4- inch- thick rounds
• 2 ripe tomatoes (about 10 ounces), cored and cut into 1- inch wedges
• 2 plump garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup or so fresh basil leaves (packed to measure), preferably small- leaf Genovese basil
• A small head curly chicory (also called frisee or curly endive), about 5 ounces, leaves trimmed, washed, and spun dry
• A small piece bottarga or 4 to 6 small anchovy fillets

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

Cut the bread slices, with crust on, into 1- inch pieces or cubes—you should have about 5 cups total—and put them in a large bowl. (If the pieces are not dry and almost crunchy, spread them on a baking sheet and heat it in a moderately low oven until the bread chunks are hard and crisp but not colored; let cool.)

Whisk together the 1/4 cup vinegar and 1 cup cold water, sprinkle it all over the bread, and keep tossing the pieces till they’re evenly moistened.

Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over the cubes, and toss again. Put the sliced peppers, cucumber, and tomato in the bowl, and toss together with the bread.

To make the dressing:

Put the garlic cloves and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt in the food processor or blender, and pulse to chop the garlic, scraping down the bowl as needed.

Pack in the basil leaves, and pulse until they are coarsely chopped.

With the motor running, pour in 5 tablespoons of the olive oil in a slow, steady stream to make an emulsified dressing.

Drizzle the dressing over the bread and vegetables, and toss well.

In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon vinegar, and 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Tear the chicory leaves into bite- sized pieces, and scatter them over the bread in the bowl.

Drizzle the vinegar- oil dressing over the greens, and toss everything together well.

As a final (optional) touch, if you have bottarga, shave or grate about a teaspoon of the dried roe
over the top of the salad.

Or chop the anchovy fillets into small bits and scatter them all over.

Serve on a platter or on separate plates.