Panzanella with Garden Veggies & Citrus Herb Vinaigrette Recipe
Sinkology is proud to present Emily Schuermann, our food-loving guest blogger who runs Food for a Year. Emily is here to share some recipes she has created exclusively for the Sinkology blog that reflect her view of a copper sink: simple, timeless, affordable and beautifully rustic.
This is one of those “kitchen sink” recipes; you know the kind, right? Pretty much everything but the kitchen sink goes into this rustic, colorful, flavor-packed salad. But in this case, even the kitchen sink is a critical part of the process — from beginning to end (literally).
Thanks to my extra-wide, extra-deep single basin farmhouse copper sink, I can wash all of my needed veggies & herbs at the same time. If I didn’t need to wait until the last minute to cut my garden-fresh herbs, I would have easily been able to wash them too – just look at all that room to spare!
For this recipe, feel free to mix and exchange veggies for what you love and what is easily accessible. As a rule of thumb, 5-6 c of sliced & diced veggies is a good amount for this salad.
I used ::
- raw yellow summer squash
- diced bell pepper
- sliced & quartered boiled new potatoes
- heirloom cherry tomatoes
- grilled sweet corn
- blanched, chilled asparagus
- a scant amount of finely diced red onion
The most time-consuming part of this recipe is the veggie prep. I love chopping, dicing & slicing, but if that part is a bother to you, the veggies can be prepped a day or two ahead!
Speaking of making ahead of time, the citrus-herb vinaigrette can also be mixed ahead of time. Giving the vinaigrette an extra day or two in the fridge allows the citrus, garlic & fresh herbs a chance to get acquainted. I used a medley of perennial herbs that grow in my gardens: thyme, oregano, mint & chives. I actually use herbs as edible ornamentals in all of my flowerbeds.
Thyme & chives are 2 of my perennial favorites; I can’t even count how many times I have snipped fresh herbs from my doorstep garden!
In addition to fresh herbs, this vinaigrette uses a bright blend of citrus zest & fresh squeezed juice. I used lemons, limes & oranges – but clementines, tangerines and even grapefruit would be a great substitute. Although these 3 steps took under 5 minutes, you may want to simplify this recipe a little by using ½ c of your favorite bottled orange juice.
For me, the easiest way to make a homemade vinaigrette is to chop, zest & juice all of my fresh ingredients and then add them directly to a mason jar. It saves me from washing an extra dish or two and is perfect for mixing & storing.
- fresh chopped herbs
- citrus juice
- olive oil
- s & p
- fresh chopped garlic
- dijon mustard
- citrus zest
- a pinch of sugar
Into the jar everything goes, seal it up & give it a good shake – simple vinaigrette perfection in under 10 minutes!
Now for the bread. It is the little details that make this recipe a star. Fresh colorful veggies (check), a medley of citrus & fresh herbs for the vinaigrette (check) and now for a magnificent crusty boule of French bread. The key with any Panzanella is using the crustiest bread you can find – day old French bread is perfect!
To make my crusty bread even crustier, I decided to grill it until it was slightly charred and toasted through and through! Nice ½” thick slices are perfect for this salad. Simply brush each side of the bread with oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Grill (or toast) until each slice is crisp throughout. Once grilling is complete, allow the slices to cool and then cut into ½” cubes.
All of the ingredients are prepped & it’s time to add everything to a bowl, coat with the citrus vinaigrette and serve. A few shavings of a high quality parmesan reggiano are the perfect final touch.
All that is left is to dig in! This colorful Panzanella is perfect for kick-starting summer fun at your upcoming Memorial Day festivities.
The citrus vinaigrette brings a yummy brightness to the fresh veggies – and that crusty, lightly charred French bread stays crisp adding both deliciousness and that perfect crunch to every bite. Well, there is one more detail that may need some attention:
that pesky detail of dirty dishes duty. Thankfully, I have the perfect sink to get the job done! Yet another instance where an extra-large sink is especially handy. Now if only I could find another pair of hands to take over this mess!
- fresh chopped herbs*
- ½ c citrus juice, I used a combination of lemons, limes & oranges
- ½ c olive oil
- ½ t kosher salt
- ½ t finely ground pepper
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 1 t dijon mustard
- citrus zest, from 2 lemons, 2 limes & 1 orange
- a pinch of sugar
- 1 c raw yellow summer squash, diced
- ½ c diced bell pepper
- 5-6 medium boiled new potatoes, sliced & quartered
- 1 c heirloom cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- 1 c grilled sweet corn kernels**
- 12 oz to 1 lb blanched, chilled asparagus, cut into fourths
- ¼ c finely diced red onion
- 5-6 large slices of crusty bread (like a boule of French bread), cut ½" thick
- 3 T olive oil
- kosher salt for sprinkling on the bread
- 3-4 oz parmesan reggiano shavings
- Preheat grill pan over medium high flame (toasting works nicely too). Brush both sides of bread with oil & season with salt. Place bread on the hot grill pan, turning bread once char appears. Continue grilling until the bread is crisp throughout. Remove bread & allow to cool before cutting into ½" chunks. Set aside.
- For the vinaigrette: combine all vinaigrette ingredients in a pint-sized mason jar, tighten the lid and shake to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- In a large serving bowl, combine grilled bread cubes and chopped veggies. Drizzle half of the vinaigrette over the bread & veggies, sprinkle with parmesan reggiano shavings and toss to coat. Use remaining dressing as needed.
- Serve immediately after dressing.
- Serves 12
- *I used 1 t chopped mint, 2 T chopped thyme, 4 T chopped parsley and 4 T chopped chives
- **thawed frozen corn works nicely too
For more recipes from our copper-loving foodie, check out our blog. If you have any questions about copper or copper sinks, our Sinkologists are here to help. Contact us or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Houzz, Pinterest, or Instagram for helpful tips, recipes, and design ideas.