Cuban Bread Salad
- Yield 4 servings
- Prep 15 mins
- Cook 10 mins
Skillet-toasted bread topped with herbed greens and raisins.
Ingredients
- Orange Sherry Vinaigrette:
- 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
- 1 pinch kosher salt, to taste
- 1/4 cup sherry vinegar
- 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon toasted, freshly ground cumin, to taste
- 1 teaspoon toasted, freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 3/4 cup loosely packed California raisins
- Bread Salad:
- 2 tablespoons Spanish olive oil
- 4 slices Cuban bread or other crusty, rustic bread
- 4 cups mixed greens, e.g., romaine, red leaf, radicchio, Bibb and/or Belgian endive
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped, mixed, fresh herbs, e.g., sage, basil, rosemary and/or thyme leaves
- 1/2 cup goat cheese
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped, fresh chives
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 small tomatoes
- 2 medium tomatoes; ends removed, cored and cut into 1/4-inch slices
- 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, for garnish
Instructions
- Vinaigrette: Pour orange juice into a small heavy saucepan. Set over medium heat and reduce by half to 1/4 cup. Remove from heat;. turn into medium bowl and whisk together with salt and vinegar. Continue whisking and add olive oil, cumin and pepper. Adjust seasonings to taste. Measure raisins into a small bowl and add vinaigrette to cover; set aside. Reserve remaining vinaigrette.
- Bread Salad: Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Sauté bread on both sides until golden. Remove from pan. Drain raisins and place in a large bowl. Add greens, herbs and reserved vinaigrette, 1/4 cup at a time, tossing gently until mixed.
- To Serve: Combine goat cheese, chives, salt and pepper to taste. Remove tops from small tomatoes; hollow out seeds, and fill with cheese mixture. Arrange tomato slices in center of each serving plate; top with a slice of bread and about 1 cup of salad. Place a filled tomato on the side and garnish with cilantro. Serve immediately.
Recipe by Chef Norman Van Aken
