Panzanella Salad - Ripe Tomato and Cucumber Salad

Ripe tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers and sweet basil, all tossed in a tangy vinaigrette with crusty croutons, this is the ultimate summer salad. It's so hearty, it's a delicious vegetarian meal on its own, or as a simple side dish for any meal. Check out my other recipes on my website, www.dinnerreinvented.com Full recipe: 3 cups cubed (1 inch size) sourdough bread 2 lb ripe tomatoes 4-5 Persian cucumbers 1 red bell pepper half a red onion, sliced thin and soaked in a mixture of a few tablespoons of sherry vinegar and water (this mellows the sharp onion flavor) 10 oz fresh mozzarella 1 avocado large handful fresh basil 1 cup Vinaigrette dressing salt and pepper to taste Directions: Slice sourdough bread into thick pieces, then across, and finally into large cubes, about an inch thick. I leave it on a baking sheet overnight to dry, but you could also toast it on the oven for a few minutes. Drying out the bread helps ensure it won’t get soggy when mixed with all the vegetables. I cut all the vegetables the same size - tomatoes, cucumbers, vinegar soaked red onions and red bell peppers, so I get all the flavors in every bite. I toss them all, along with cubed sourdough croutons, ripe avocado and fresh mozzarella and a generous pinch of salt, in a large salad bowl. I rip fresh basil, and then toss the whole thing in vinaigrette. VINAIGRETTE DRESSING 1 lemon, juiced 1 clove garlic teaspoon of Dijon mustard pinch of salt pinch of pepper pinch of sugar 1 teaspoon of fresh herbs (you can use parsley, dill, chives, or if using dried herbs, Herbs de Provence works best, but reduce to half a teaspoon) 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil Directions: Chop the garlic, add some salt and mash my knife back and forth until it becomes a paste, so you don’t bite into any raw garlic pieces. Add Dijon mustard, herbs, salt, cracked pepper, lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil. I store it in a mason jar for easy pouring.