Empty the fridge economically | Summer in a salad

Once a month, our collaborator known for her culinary blog Vert Couleur Persil offers you a delicious recipe to make with what you have in your fridge!

Here’s a variation on the panzanella, a salad that celebrates summer in all its glory. I propose a version featuring watermelon and tomatoes, sunny emblems of the season, all accompanied by a delicious basil vinaigrette. It’s tasty, it’s juicy… It’s perfect for cooling off when the mercury reaches its peak.

3 ingredients

Watermelon, tomatoes, stale bread

Summer Panzanella

Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients for the croutons

• 3 1/2 cups (875 ml) stale bread, cubed (baguette or other)
• 3 tbsp (45 ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large clove garlic, pressed
• 1 large pinch of salt
• Pepper from the mill, to taste

Ingredients for the dressing

• 1/4 cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 4 tsp (20 ml) lemon juice
• 2 tsp (10 ml) maple syrup
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) fresh basil
• 4 small anchovy fillets
• 4 tsp (20 ml) hulled hemp seeds (or raw, hulled sunflower seeds)
• Pepper from the mill, generously

Ingredients for the salad

• 3 1/2 cups (875 ml) watermelon, cubed
• 150g cherry tomatoes, halved lengthwise
• 2 Lebanese cucumbers, sliced
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) crumbled feta
• A few leaves of fresh basil

Preparation of the croutons

• 1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
• 2. Line a large baking sheet with a silicone baking mat.
• 3. In a small bowl, mix together oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Set aside.
• 4. In a large bowl, add the bread cubes. Pour the liquid from the small bowl and coat well. Place and distribute the bread cubes on the baking sheet and bake for about 13 to 15 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Set aside.

Preparation of the vinaigrette

• 5. In a small blender, blend all the vinaigrette ingredients until smooth. Set aside.

Preparing the salad

• 6. In a large bowl, add watermelon, tomatoes, cucumbers, onion and croutons. Pour dressing over and toss gently. Garnish with feta and a few basil leaves. Serve and enjoy immediately.

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Geneviève’s money-saving tips

Making homemade croutons from stale bread is a great way to give a second life to this bread that is just begging to be cooked. As for seasonings, there is no shortage of choice: garlic, herbs, spices, citrus zest, parmesan, or any other flavor that inspires you. Let your creativity run wild and experiment with your own combinations. There are other ways to cook stale bread. Consider making, for example, bread pudding, French toast or even homemade breadcrumbs.

Who has never found themselves with a baguette as hard as a wooden board? Here is a simple and very practical tip to save it: run the baguette under the tap for a few seconds (to moisten it slightly), place it on a baking sheet, then bake it in the oven for a few minutes at 200 °C (400 °F). And presto, as if by magic, you will have a bread that is soft again and a delicious smell that fills the house!

Did you know that onion skins (preferably organic) can be used in cooking? Personally, without eating them directly, I love using them to flavor my homemade broths. They can also be incorporated into the cooking water of vegetables, rice, quinoa, to add flavor.