As fresh loaves of bread now emerge from my oven on a weekly basis, it has become necessary to get creative and ensure that it does not got to waste. Besides enjoying lots of toast and jam for breakfast, I have also started to work bread into our dinners. In moderation, I’ve found that bread is a great meal extender- allowing small quantities of other ingredients to shine while ensuring we are still full and satisfied. (It is also is very budget friendly- which is always appreciated!)

A big loaf of leftover sourdough inspired me to create an Autumn riff on a traditional panzanella (Italian bread salad). I cubed the loaf of bread and then toasted it with a red onion and sweet potato to create the base of the salad. Toasted pepitas added a flavorful nutty crunch, while a big pile of grated Parmesan cheese melted around the warm bread cubes nicely.

To create the dressing, I played around with a combination of sage, garlic, olive oil, cider vinegar, and thyme until it had just the right balance of savory herb flavor, pungent garlic, and bright acidity. Once mixed together, the flavors melded beautifully and created a savory alternative to traditional panzanella.

This would be a delicious salad to take to a potluck and would shine as a side dish alongside my favorite roast chicken with meyer lemon and sage. Or if it is a Tuesday night and you just want something simple, dish up a bowl for dinner and call it a day!

Autumn Panzanella (Printable Recipe)
Serves 4 as a main course or 8-10 as a side salad

Be sure to allow the finished dish to sit for an hour before serving. This is necessary for the flavors to fully develop, otherwise the bread will not have time to absorb the dressing and may taste rather bland.

Ingredients:

Salad
10 cups cubed Sourdough bread (cut into 1″ pieces)
1 cup diced sweet potato (about 1 medium)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large red onion, cut into 1/2″ wedges
2 cups diced fresh tomato (or a 14oz high quality can, drained)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup pepitas, toasted (pumpkin seeds)

Dressing
1/4 cup Olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon fresh sage, minced
1 teaspoon, fresh thyme
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon herbes de provenence

Directions:

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees, with a rack in the middle. Line a large rimmed baking pan with foil, and evenly spread the bread, sweet potato, and onion across the sheet. Drizzle 1/4 cup of olive oil over the baking pan, and then toss all ingredients so they are evenly coated with oil. Place the pan in the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring the contents occasionally, until they are evenly toasted and the vegetables are soft.

Meanwhile, assemble the dressing. Place olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, sage, thyme, vinegar, salt, pepper, and herbes de provenence in a blender. Blend in quick five second bursts, until the garlic is emulsified and the ingredients are well combined.

Once the bread and vegetables are toasted, place them in a large bowl along with the diced tomatoes, grated Parmesan, pepitas, and dressing. Gently toss all ingredients until they are well combined and the bread is evenly coated with dressing.

Cover the salad, and let it sit at room temperature for an hour, which will give the bread time to absorb the flavors of the salad. Once the flavors have melded together nicely, taste the salad to see if it needs any additional salt, pepper, or apple cider vinegar. Adjust seasonings to your taste, and serve.

Almost four years ago, I said “I do” and married my favorite person- Mr. B. At the time I anticipated a lifetime of shared experiences and mutual affection. Yet years later what has surprised me about marriage, what I didn’t know to expect, is that when two people go through life as a team it is a beautiful thing. If you approach the world with a united front, encouraging and challenging each other to reach shared goals, suddenly it seems as if anything is possible. No matter what successes or failures appear on the horizon, together you can make it through to the other side.

Our partnership also carries through to the kitchen. Together we have fought battles with pasta, celebrated with cheesecake, and nearly fainted from happiness over a slow cooked BBQ pork shoulder. We have found a rhthym in our cooking that keeps both of us engaged and happy to cook another meal. Usually I do the shopping, chopping, and cooking while Mr. B tackles the beverage pairing, taste testing, and dishes. He likes to call himself the “Consulting Chef” (which makes me giggle since don’t chef’s usually know how to cook?) and takes an active role in helping me set the menu each week. Often this means a general discussion of what dish strikes our fancy, what produce is in season, or what item is sitting in the fridge threatening to spoil. After our discussions I’ll get rolling and then ask him to taste and offer tweaks along the way.

When I asked Mr. B for his thoughts about endives this week, I was quite surprised to get a very specific answer. He replied, “We should brush them with olive oil, grill them, then add sun dried tomatoes, toasted pine nuts, and chevre cheese.” Startled I looked at him, wondering how the heck a specific recipe had sprung forth so quickly. He looked over at my raised eyebrows and simply said, “I like endives.” Still quite surprised I decided to not mess with creative genius and made the salad as directed. And what do you know? It was absolutely delicious. Warm endives caused the chevre to melt slightly while pine nuts gave it a contrasting crunch. Sun dried tomatoes provided deep little bursts of flavor to round out the salad perfectly. I’m beginning to think there might be something behind this “Consulting Chef” title after all…

I know what you are thinking: “Wheat berry salad? She’s fallen off the deep end into another health food kick.” Before you write me off as a total nut let me explain. It all started with a trip to Whole Foods where I got a little crazy in the bulk bin aisle (actually I just get a little crazy whenever I’m in a Whole Foods). Feeling tired of heavy winter fare and ready to broaden my grain horizons I spotted a bin of wheat berries and decided to bring some home… along with Israeli couscous, three colors of lentils, bulgur wheat, and barley. But those grains will have to wait for another day!

Having no clue what to do with wheat berries, or even what they tasted like I browsed the Internet for help. I learned that wheat berries are the entire wheat kernel (minus the hull) and that they are an excellent source of fiber, protein, and iron. Tips from 101 Cookbooks and The Amateur Gourmet provided me with a basic understanding of the grain, and from there I decided to play around. Mixing a little bit of this and a little bit of that a salad quickly began to take shape. The cooked wheat berries provided a soft yet chewy base with the fragrance of warm bread and a delightfully nutty flavor. Feta cheese added a creamy tang while Kalamata olives gave the dish a briny note that made my mouth water. By the time I was finished tossing in ingredients a marvelous Greek wheat berry salad was born.

This recipe has gotten under my skin. I feel good making it, I feel good eating it, and I feel good afterwards. In a kitchen that sees very little repetition, I have made this salad three times in the last month- it is that addictive! This would be delightful for a potluck, or to just have in the fridge when it is too hot to cook and all you want is a hearty salad. For presentation purposes the salad looks more appealing if you sprinkle the feta and tomatoes on top after everything else is mixed. You can even stretch it out a bit by serving it on top of fresh spinach. However when it is just the two of us I mix everything together in a big bowl and enjoy every bite!

Greek Wheat Berry Salad (Printable Recipe)
Serves 4-6 as a Main Course, 10-12 as a Side Salad

Ingredients:

Salad
2 cups wheat berries
6 cups water
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 lemon, zested
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped + brine from jar (used below)
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 roasted red bell peppers, chopped into bite size pieces
1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 cup basil leaves, julienned
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted

Dressing
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar (if you like a lot of tang add a bit more)
2-3 Tablespoons “brine” from Kalamata olive jar (can be increased to taste)
1/2 cup Greek Yogurt
Juice of the zested lemon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Rinse wheat berries under cool water and then drain. Place wheat berries, six cups of water, and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt into a medium pot. Place the pot over high heat, and bring the water to a boil. Stir, reduce heat to maintain a low simmer, and cover the pot with a lid. Cook the wheat berries, stirring occasionally, for 60-90 minutes or until they are tender (but not mushy). Once the wheat berries are cooked, drain off any remaining water, and transfer the wheat berries to a large (8-10 cup capacity) bowl.

While the wheat berries are cooking, place a small saucepan over low heat and add 1 Tablespoon of olive oil, red onion, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Slowly cook the onion, stirring occasionally until it is softened and a light brown color. This will take about 40-60 minutes. Once the onion is caramelized, remove the saucepan from the heat and set the onions aside to cool.

Add the lemon zest, Kalamata olives, garlic, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, basil leaves, feta, and pine nuts into the large bowl with the wheat berries. Gently mix the ingredients together with a spoon to combine.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, “brine” from the Kalamata olive jar, yogurt, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Once the dressing is well mixed, pour it over the salad and stir until all ingredients are well coated. Taste the salad and add more salt and pepper if necessary. (Much like rice, the wheat berries will require a decent amount of salt for the flavor to shine through.) Serve the salad as is or plate on top of fresh spinach and garnish with additional feta cheese, tomatoes, and basil.

Salad can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored covered in the fridge. Bring to room temperature and mix well before serving.