Grilled Panzanella Salad with Summer Vegetables showcases the season’s best colors and flavors

FARGO — This marvelous summer is soon coming to an end, and this Grilled Panzanella Salad with Summer Vegetables is the perfect way to celebrate the season this Labor Day Weekend. Panzanella is a rustic, peasant-style salad that originated in Tuscany as a way to utilize stale bread. The name’s origin is a blend of two Italian words — pane, for bread, and zanella, meaning deep bowl. This is a classic summer dish in Italy and the only time of year we make it.

Traditionally, panzanella is a simple mix of tomatoes, onions, bread, olive oil and vinegar. However, this panzanella recipe features grilled sweet bell peppers, zucchini and shallots instead, for a showcase of the season’s best colors and flavors.

For this recipe, I use a large loaf of rustic Italian bread and slice four pieces about one inch in thickness. The bread slices are coated lightly with olive oil and grilled over high heat until charred on both sides, then torn into pieces for the salad. Grilling the bread gives it a touch of smoky flavor that will blend beautifully with the grilled veggies, and you can complete this step up to 24 hours in advance of assembling the salad.

To prepare the vegetables, I cut each bell pepper into quarters and remove the seeds and veins. To make the salad more vibrant, I use a mix of at least two colors of bell peppers. I cut the zucchini into long, wide slices about ¼-inch thick, and I cut the shallots in half, leaving the root ends on so that they don’t fall apart on the grill.

The veggies are tossed in a bit of olive oil and then grilled directly over high heat until tender and lightly charred. For smaller pieces and the shallots, I place a wire cookie rack over part of the grill to keep them from falling through the grate. The vegetables can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerated before assembling the salad.

Once everything is grilled, I let the veggies cool as I prepare the dressing, which is a simple blend of extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, fresh chives, smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder and seasoning. Once cool, I cut the veggies into one-inch pieces, place them in a large bowl and then tear the grilled bread into similar-sized pieces. I add more fresh chives and toss everything together until combined, then I add the dressing, toss again and serve.

Rustic, colorful and delicious, this simple Grilled Panzanella Salad with Summer Vegetables boasts a bounty of flavor for your end-of-summer celebrations. Have a happy Labor Day weekend!

Friendly reminder: Thursday, Aug. 31, is the last day to place an order for the annual Mistra Estates Olive Oil Sale, which is my favorite olive oil, ever. You can find more information about the oil and place your order at peterschultzimporter.com .

Serves: 6 to 8

Ingredients:

4 slices rustic white bread, sliced 1-inch thick2 sweet bell peppers, cut into quarters, veins and seeds removed (I use a mix of red, yellow or orange)2 zucchinis, cut into wide strips ¼-inch in thickness2 shallots, peeled and cut in half with the root still attached2 tablespoons fresh chives, divided¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the bread and veggies2 tablespoons red wine vinegar½ teaspoon smoked paprika¼ teaspoon chili powder¼ teaspoon garlic powderKosher saltFreshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Preheat the grill to high heat and lubricate with vegetable oil.

Brush the slices of bread with olive oil on both sides and sprinkle one side with salt and pepper.

Place the cut vegetables in a large bowl and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Toss until well combined.

Grill the bread slices over high heat until charred on both sides; remove from the grill and transfer to a plate. The bread may be prepared up to 24 hours in advance and stored in an airtight container until you are ready to assemble the salad.

Place the vegetables on the hot grill and cook, turning often, until they are tender and lightly charred all around. Use a wire cookie rack over the grill to keep any smaller pieces from falling through the grate. Place the grilled vegetables back in the bowl and let cool for 15 minutes. The vegetables can be grilled and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 24 hours before assembling the salad.

Slice the grilled bell peppers and zucchini into 1-inch pieces and place in a large bowl. Remove the root ends from the shallots and separate the layers, chopping them into smaller pieces if desired. Place the onions in the bowl with the peppers and zucchini and add 1 tablespoon of the chives. Rip the grilled bread into large chunks and add to the vegetables, tossing until well combined.

In a small bowl, combine ¼ cup olive oil with the red wine vinegar, smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Whisk vigorously until fully emulsified. Add the remaining tablespoon of fresh chives and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.

Pour the dressing over the bread salad and toss gently to combine. Serve immediately at room temperature.

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