Bread Salad with Charred Tomatoes, Cucumbers & Olives

From My Carolina Kitchen

Croutons:

8 oz coarse country bread, about ½ a loaf, cut into 1” cubes, we used sourdough

Extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

Heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet. When the oil is hot, add the bread cubes & sprinkle with salt. Cook the croutons over medium heat, tossing frequently, for about 10 minutes, or until croutons are nicely browned. Add more oil as needed. Remove the croutons from skillet and set aside while preparing the salad.

Salad:

3 to 4 large ripe tomatoes, about 2 ½ lbs, several colors if possible

1 small English cucumber

½ of a red onion, peeled and diced

¾ cup pitted & chopped kalamata olives

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Crunchy sea salt, such as Maldon

Freshly ground black pepper

½ bunch of basil leaves, torn in pieces

Preheat the broiler. Line the baking sheet with aluminum foil and place the tomatoes on the prepared sheet, stem side up. Broil until the skins begin to char and blacken, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the tomatoes over with tongs and broil for 2 to 3 minutes more. It may take longer depending on the size of the tomatoes or the heat of your broiler. When charred, remove from oven and let cool enough to handle. With tongs, transfer the tomatoes to a cutting board and cut in half horizontally, then coarsely chop. Remove and discard any loose skin from the tomatoes, but it is fine if a few bits of charred skin remain. Transfer the chopped tomatoes to a large bowl and set aside.

Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Cut the halves crosswise into slices about 1/2 inch thick. Add the cucumber to the tomatoes along with the onion, olives, olive oil, and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and stir to mix. Let the salad stand at room temperature for up to 1 hour to blend the flavors.

Just before serving, using a slotted spoon transfer the tomato salad to a clean bowl, leaving behind the accumulated juices for a moment. Toss in the toasted bread cubes and gently stir with a wooden spoon. If the salad needs more juice, add some of the liquid, a little bit at a time, from the other bowl, taking care not to soak the croutons. The croutons should remain a bit crispy. When you are happy with the salad, taste for seasonings, add the basil and toss gently again. Serve immediately.

Adapted from Williams Sonoma’s Vegetable of the Day by Kate McMillan – serves 4