Winter Panzanella
Croutons:
¼ cup unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced
6 cups day-old French bread, cut or torn into bite-size pieces
½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Salad:
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
¼ cup champagne vinegar
Kosher salt
4 cups peeled, seeded, and diced butternut squash
½ Brussels sprouts, ends removed and quartered
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3-4 handfuls fresh lettuce
½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter and add garlic and fresh thyme and toss. Immediately add bread pieces and toss well to coat. Add most of grated cheese and toss again to coat. Transfer croutons to a baking sheet and sprinkle with remaining cheese and season with salt and pepper. Toss well and place pan in oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until croutons are golden and crispy but not hard. Remove pan from oven and set aside. Place red onions in a bowl and pour vinegar over onions. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and toss. Set aside until ready to prepare salad. Remove croutons from baking sheet and place in a bowl. Add butternut squash and Brussels sprouts to baking sheet. Pour ½ cup olive oil and vinegar over vegetables and toss well. Add fresh sage, salt, and pepper, and toss again. Place pan in oven and roast for 20 minutes, tossing occasionally. Vegetables should be brown and fork tender. Remove from oven and let cool. When ready to serve, place lettuce and red onion in a large salad bowl. Whisk 2 tablespoons of olive oil into champagne vinegar and season with salt and pepper for dressing. Add roasted vegetables to salad and toss. Add croutons and extra Parmesan cheese to salad and drizzle dressing over salad. Toss again and garnish with fresh parsley. Serve immediately.
Yield: 6 servings