Panzanella

For this simply prepared Italian salad from Ruth Gresser, owner-chef of Pizza Paradiso, it's worth waiting for the tomatoes of high summer and using a good loaf of bread. But sometimes you need a reminder of summer in the dead of winter, and this recipe will deliver it.

Serves four to six.

1/2 a red or yellow pepper
1 tomato
1 small piece of daikon (Japanese radish), diced (should make about 1/4 cup)
1/2 a zucchini
2 tablespoons red onion, minced
1 cucumber, seeded
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon roughly chopped basil leaves
1 teaspoon roughly chopped parsley leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
Four to six slices of fresh bread

Dice the pepper, tomato, daikon and zucchini into 1/4-inch pieces and place in a mixing bowl. Add the minced onion.

In a separate bowl mix the oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.

Add the herbs and the oil and vinegar mixture to the vegetables and fold in gently.

Let marinate one to two hours before using.

Serve over the sliced fresh bread.

This recipe first appeared in the NorthWest Current. Photo Bill Petros/The Current. 

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