Autumn Panzanella for an Unprocessed #SundaySupper

Autumn Panzanella for an Unprocessed #SundaySupper

Personally, I had difficulty choosing a dish for this week's #SundaySupper event because I found the theme too broad. Let's put aside the argument of what's considered processed for a moment and specify that processed food as convenience food (i.e. boxed macaroni and cheese, spiced ham, cheese out of a can, etc.) I'd have to look but, outside of boxed pasta, I use these types of ingredients so infrequently that the possibilities were almost endless. That's not to say my diet is completely free of processed foods, but the difference is that I don't publish the processed foods here.

Panzanella is a traditional Italian tomato and bread salad eaten in the summer when tomatoes are in season but Chef Michael Chiarello has adapted the concept for the other three seasons of the year.

The Challenge

Prepare a dish that uses as close to unprocessed food as I can get.

The Source

Adapted from page 95 of Michael Chiarello's Casual Cooking by Michael Chiarello with Janet Fletcher.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon plus 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
6 cups day-old bread, crust removed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
6 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, finely grated
1 yellow onion, chopped coarsely
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
5 tablespoons plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons warm water
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound fresh mushrooms of different varieties, coarsely sliced or quartered
1 tablespoons fresh thyme, minced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced*
2 ounces baby arugula

Method

1. Make the panzanella croutons. Using the bread, parmesan and4 tablespoons butter, make the panzanella croutons as described in step 1 of my other panzanella dish. Set aside.

2. Prepare the dressing. Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in a small skillet over medium-low hear. Add the yellow onion and sauté until soft, approximately 15 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the red wine vinegar. Empty the contents of the skillet into a blender and pureé. While the blender is still on, slowly add in 5 tablespoons olive oil. Transfer the dressing to a bowl and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.

3. Prepare the mushrooms. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil to a large skillet and place over high heat. Once the oil starts to smoke, add the mushrooms in a single layer, however do not touch them for approximately 2 minutes so they may caramelize. Once caramelized, stir, reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook until well browned. Add the garlic and thyme to the pan and stir for an additional minute to release their fragrance. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then remove from heat. Add the mushrooms to a large bowl along with the croutons and the dressing, then toss. Add in the red onions and arugula and toss again. Season with salt and pepper if necessary, then serve.

*Note: Peel the 'paper' off the onion and slice off both the root and stem ends, then cut in half lengthwise and thinly slice each half lengthwise.

Successful?

Hopefully, you'll agree that this is a dish of unprocessed foods. I did have an issue when tossing the salad, however. Chef Chiarello instructs to toss the ingredients with the croutons which left them soggy and me a little confused. Is the bread in the panzanella supposed to soak up the other flavors in the dish or provide a contrast in texture? Any Italians reading this that can shed some light?

Meanwhile, check out the other dishes of unprocessed foods participating this week:

Alluring Appetizers and Stunning Sides

• Brioche Dinner Rolls by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Stuffed Peppadew Peppers by An Appealing Plan
• Homemade Fennel-Maple Mustard by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Sweet Potato Noodles & Brussels Sprouts Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
• Whole Grain, No-Knead Sourdough Bread by Peaceful Cooking
• Sweet Potato Fries by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Indian Spiced Dal and Sag Aloo by Happy Baking Days
• Homemade Energy Bars by The Foodie Army Wife
• Honey Thyme Chicken by Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Sweet Potato and Carrot Hash by Fit Foodie Runs
• Roasted Parsnips and Carrots with Cardamom and Maple Syrup by Kudos Kitchen by Renee
• Spicy Smashed Fingerling Potatoes by Magnolia Days
• Autumn Panzanella by Crazy Foodie Stunts
• Black Bean and Corn Salsa by What Smells So Good?
• Curried Apple Chips by The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Stuffed Acorn Squash by Rhubarb and Honey
• Homemade Hash Brown by Basic N Delicious
• Raw Salted Chocolate Chip Oat Healthy Bars by Wallflour Girl
• Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts by Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Basic Roasted Cauliflower by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Baked Beet Chips by The Dinner-Mom
• Crispy Tex-Mex Quinoa Patties by Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen

Enticing Entreés

• Authentic Chicken Tinga by Shockingly Delicious
• Jacket Potato Party by Jane's Adventures in Dinner
• Mom's Homemade Vegetarian Meatballs by The Life and Loves of Grumpy's Honeybunch
• Chicken and Sweet Potato by MealDiva
• Chinese Five Spice Chicken Stir Fry by Nosh My Way
• Easy Slow Cooker Chili by Amee's Savory Dish
• Coconut Chicken Tenders with Honey Mustard Dip by Casa de Crews
• Grilled Burgers with Garlicky Arugula by Cooking Chat
• Baked Zucchini with Spicy Tomatoes by Food Lust People Love
• Fall Squash Soup by Ruffles & Truffles
• Stuffed Sweet Potatoes by Momma's Meals
• White Bean Pesto Stew by eating in instead
• Seared Pork Stack by annaDishes
• Gnocchi with Peas and Pesto by Curious Cuisiniere
• Pumpkin & Sausage Pasta by Confessions of a Culinary Diva

Decadent Desserts

• Raw Vegan Chocolate Cheesecake by Killer Bunnies, Inc
• Vegan Mini Chocolate Cream Cakes by NinjaBaking.com
• Gluten Free Peanut Butter Blondies by Pies and Plots

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Summer Panzanella

Summer Panzanella

Like my gazpacho dish I published last month, panzanella has been on my radar for a while. The dish originates out of Tuscany and it's a tomato and bread salad that, like gazpacho, is also popular in the warm summer months when tomatoes are in season. This dish also allowed me to return to my roots by making food from scratch.

The Challenge

Making a pantry item from scratch to be used in another dish.

The Source

I guess you could say I'm returning to my roots in this respect too because I used Michael Chiarello's Casual Cooking by Michael Chiarello with Janet Fletcher as my source. The croutons can be found on page 38 and the panzanella is on page 94.

Ingredients

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
6 cups crust-free, day-old bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
6 tablespoons finely grated parmesan cheese, plus more shaved slices from a wedge for garnish
2 pounds tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
1/4 cup red onion, minced
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh tarragon, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 cups arugula

Method

1. Make the croutons: Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Melt the butter over medium heat in a large skillet. When it begins to foam, add the bread and toss to coat in the butter, then add the grated parmesan and toss again. Immediately transfer the bread to a foil-lined sheet pan and place in the oven, tossing the bread once or twice, until the bread is crisp and lightly colored outside but still soft inside, approximately 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely.

2. Combine the panzanella ingredients: Drain the tomatoes of any excess fluid in a colander while preparing the rest of your mise en place. In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, basil, tarragon, croutons, salt, and pepper. Divide the salad onto serving plates and garnish with arugula and shaved Parmesan.

Successful?

When I presented this salad to Mrs. Stuntman, she complained about the absence of protein (i.e. no bacon? fried egg?). Then she tasted it. I must admit, I'm not a huge fan of raw tomatoes, but it was one of the most well-seasoned and balanced salads I've eaten. I also wanted to get this dish in before the summer tomato season was finished this year. Chef Chiarello has also adapted the concept of the panzanella for the autumn, winter and spring using produce in season so I hope to profile those versions in the future.