Whole Grain Bread Salad

I use cherry tomatoes for this hearty panzanella because they add chew without a lot of unwanted moisture. But chopped ripe tomatoes—especially if they’re perfectly ripe—are equally wonderful. (When good tomatoes aren’t in season, try the variation.) Grilled or roasted vegetables, especially eggplants, make a fine addition. Finally, these recipes can double as stuffing for meat, poultry, or vegetables, or can simply be baked in a pan until crusty.

8 ounces whole grain bread (4 thick slices; stale is fine)

Salt

8 ounces escarole or lacinato kale (also called black kale or cavalo nero), or other kale, or collards

¼ cup olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1½ pounds cherry tomatoes, halved

½ red onion, thinly sliced

Freshly ground black pepper

½ cup fresh chopped basil leaves

1 Heat the oven to 400°F. Put the bread on a baking sheet and toast, turning once or twice, until golden and dry, 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the slices. Remove from the oven and cool.

2 While bread toasts, put a large pot of water to boil and salt it. Fill a large bowl with ice water. When the pot comes to a boil, add the greens; let wilt for about a minute, then drain and plunge into ice water. When cool, squeeze dry and roughly chop. Put the greens, oil, vinegar, tomatoes, and onion in a large salad bowl. Sprinkle with salt and lots of pepper and toss to coat.

3 Fill a bowl with tap water and soak the bread for about 3 minutes. Gently squeeze a slice dry and crumble it into salad bowl. Repeat with remaining slices. Toss well to combine the salad and let sit for 15 to 20 minutes. Right before serving, taste and adjust seasoning and toss with the basil.

Whole Grain Bread Salad with Dried Fruit: Use any kind of kale or collards instead of the escarole. Omit the tomatoes and basil and substitute shallot for the onion if you like. In Step 2, toss the kale and dressing with 1 cup chopped dried fruit (figs, dates, apricots, cherries, cranberries, or raisins are all good) and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves. Garnish with toasted hazelnuts if you like.