Heirloom Tomato Panzanella

with Parmesan Croutons

Makes 4 servings

Traditional Italian panzanellas are good, but I’ve never been a fan of how soggy the croutons get as they soak up the juices from the tomatoes and dressing. This version is my improved panzanella, and it started with perfecting cheese-encased croutons that can soak up some of the salad’s other flavors without becoming soggy. Unlike the Heirloom Tomato Toasts, I season the tomatoes for this salad a few minutes ahead of time to coax out more of their juices, which will mellow out the spicy dressing when you toss everything together. If you don’t want to make your own Green Hot Sauce (which I recommend you do!), you can also use green Tabasco sauce.

Green Hot Sauce

Makes about 2 cups

• ½ stalk lemongrass, roughly chopped
• 1 Thai green chile, stemmed
• 1 serrano chile, stemmed
• 2 jalapeño chiles, stemmed
• 1 small Granny Smith apple, cored and roughly chopped
• 4 scallion bottoms (white and light green parts)
• One 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
• Finely grated zest of 12 limes
• 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

Combine all ingredients except the vinegar in a food processor and process until finely chopped. Transfer to a very clean container and cover with cheesecloth. Let ferment at room temperature for 3 days. Transfer to a blender and add the vinegar. Blend until smooth, then transfer to a sterilized bottle or jar, seal, and refrigerate for up to 1 month.

Spicy Green Chile Vinaigrette

Makes about 1 cup

• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Green Hot Sauce or green Tabasco sauce
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped serrano chile
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• ⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil

In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, hot sauce, chile, and salt. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until emulsified.

Parmesan Croutons

Makes about 4 cups

• One 1-pound loaf of sourdough or country bread, crusts discarded, bread cut into ¾-inch dice
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a bowl, toss the bread with the olive oil and salt. Spread the bread on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until it begins to brown and crisp up, 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle half of the cheese over the bread and toss well. Bake for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice. Add the remaining cheese, toss well, and bake until the croutons are golden brown and crisp on the outside but still soft enough to chew, about 10 minutes longer.

For Serving

• 4 medium heirloom tomatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
• Kosher salt
• ¼ cup chopped mixed olives
• 1 medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced
• ½ cup roughly chopped parsley
• ½ cup roughly chopped basil
• Spicy Green Chile Vinaigrette, to taste
• Flaky sea salt

Arrange the tomatoes on a plate and sprinkle with kosher salt. Let sit for at least 5 minutes. In a serving bowl, toss the olives, onion, parsley, and basil with the vinaigrette to taste. Add the tomatoes (and any accumulated juices) and toss gently. Taste and add more vinaigrette if needed. Sprinkle with flaky salt and serve.

The Takeaway

If you make the Parmesan-crusted croutons right, they’re amazing. The key is to crisp the bread in the oven first, then coat it twice with Parmesan as it bakes, which helps you build up a shell instead of a single coating of cheese that melts into the bread. These croutons will work on all kinds of salads (and with various kinds of hard cheeses), and they make a great soup garnish as well.