Grilled Asparagus Panzanella Salad
Servings 4 people (as a side)
Ingredients
For Dressing:
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped basil
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
For Salad:
- 1 lb fresh asparagus
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup quartered cherry tomatoes
- ¼ cup diced red onion
- 1 cup chopped cucumber
- 1 yellow bell pepper sliced and chopped
- 3 large basil leaves finely chopped
- 3 ½ cups italian bread cubes
- 1 ½ tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
For Dressing:
- Whisk all ingredients into a small bowl. Set aside till ready to dress.
For Salad:
- To prepare the asparagus, trim the ends of the asparagus. Coat asparagus in 2 tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat a grill to high heat. Place asparagus on the grill. Turn occasionally for 3-5 minutes. Asparagus will be tender and slightly charred.
- Remove asparagus from the grill. Allow to cool a few minutes and chop into 1-inch pieces.
- To prepare the bread cubes, preheat the oven to 400°F. Place bread in a bowl and toss in 1 ½ teaspoon olive oil. Place the bread on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes until bread is toasted and slightly browned.
- Place asparagus, bread, tomatoes, basil, cucumbers, onion, and bell pepper in a salad bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad and stir, gently, to coat.
- Cover and chill for 30 minutes before serving. The salad can be made up in the morning. If stored over 6 hours the bread will not stay crisp.