by Crystal Schlueter
While I never made it to the fair this year, I planned on sharing a fair-inspired recipe this week. However, I couldn’t think of anything to make, since my usual go-tos are fried bread and cheese curds. I didn’t think anyone would need a recipe for either, as fried bread can be made with any white bread dough, and I didn’t think anyone would want to make fried cheese curds at home.
Recently, I visited three farmers’ markets, so I decided to use up some of my beautiful produce. I had an idea for an “SLT,” which is basically a BLT but with fried salami instead of bacon. However, I felt that wasn’t interesting enough. Bruschetta crossed my mind, but I decided to take it one step further and do a panzanella, which is basically bruschetta that’s served in salad form.
Panzanella usually features cubes of stale or toasted bread that are tossed with an assortment of vegetables. I like to fry the bread, so it’s crispy on the outside and soft in the middle, but you could also throw it on the grill. Slicing the bread into strips and arranging it on the platter makes for a more elegant presentation.
Lettuce is not a typical ingredient in a panzanella, but the microgreen variety was a fun play on the SLT theme. Alfalfa sprouts or baby spinach would also be good substitutes. If you’re not a salami fan, you can use pepperoni or keep it classic with regular bacon. If you want to spice things up, add a generous pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.
You may notice the pickled shallots have an unexpected ingredient-hibiscus tea. I like using hibiscus tea as a natural color enhancer, but you can leave it out. Mini mozzarella pearls or shaved Parmesan would be the usual choice for a salad like this, but garlic flavored cheese curds are a cheeky nod to the fair.
INGREDIENTS:
Pickled Shallot:
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 hibiscus tea bag (optional)
1 small shallot, thinly sliced and separated into rings
Panzanella:
12 thin slices hard salami, cut into 1/4 inch strips
3 slices sourdough bread
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 small garlic clove, halved
18 ounces assorted mini tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon shallot brine
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
1 cup garlic flavored cheese curds, at room temperature
1 cup loosely packed spicy lettuce microgreens
Basil Buttermilk Dressing:
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup olive oil mayonnaise
1 teaspoon packed fresh basil, minced Reserved garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS:
Pickled Shallot:
To make the brine, add the vinegar, water, and salt to a small saucepan. Turn the heat to medium and bring the mixture to a strong simmer. Remove from heat and add the tea bag and shallot. Set aside and cool completely.
Panzanella:
Place a large skillet over medium high heat. Scatter half of the salami strips over the pan. Cook the salami until browned on both sides, then remove to a paper towel-lined plate. Lower the heat, if necessary. Repeat with the remaining salami. Set aside, reserving any grease in the skillet. Brush the bread on all sides with 3 tablespoons of oil. Place in the pan and turn heat to medium. Fry on both sides until golden brown. Rub bread on both sides with the cut sides of the garlic clove. Reserve the garlic and mince for the dressing. Cut the bread into 1 inch strips, then arrange on a platter. In a large bowl, toss the tomatoes with remaining tablespoon of oil,
1 tablespoon shallot brine, salt, and pepper. Toss well. Add the cheese curds and microgreens. Toss again. Spoon the tomato mixture and any accumulated juices over the bread. Sprinkle with crispy salami. Drain the shallot and discard the tea bag. Scatter the shallot over the salad.
Basil Buttermilk Dressing:
Combine all ingredients in a glass measuring cup. Drizzle 1/2 cup over the salad. Serve remaining dressing on the side. Yield: 6 servings.
