COOK YOUR WEEK
Amanda Gold is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: agold@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @AmandaGold Instagram: @agold_sfchron
Roasted Vegetable Panzanella Salad With Lemon-Brown Butter Vinaigrette
Serves 4
Use pre-cut butternut squash for this cool-weather version of toasted bread salad from the Chronicle archives. The salad is very rich, so a little goes a long way. Serve as a vegetarian main course or alongside chicken, steak or pork for a heartier meal.
4 cups day-old Italian bread or levain, cut into 1-inch cubes 7 tablespoons olive oil Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste 1 pound butternut squash, cut into ¾-inch pieces
1 pound Brussels sprouts, quartered, ends trimmed 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 small shallot, minced 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup ½ small red onion, sliced thin Shaved Parmesan cheese, for garnish
Instructions: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place one oven rack in the top third of the oven, and the other rack in the bottom third.
On one rimmed baking sheet, toss the bread cubes with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and season generously with salt and pepper. Spread out in a single layer. On another sheet pan, do the same with the squash and Brussels sprouts, using another 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Place the pan with the bread on the top rack, and the vegetables on the bottom.
Bake the bread for about 12 minutes, shaking the pan once about halfway through cooking. Place in a large bowl and set aside. Let vegeta- bles cook for 20 minutes undisturbed, then use a spatula to toss and flip them. Cook for another 5 minutes, until the squash is tender.
While the bread and vegetables are roasting, make the vinaigrette. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the shallots and stir to coat. Cook until the butter begins to take on a golden brown color and nutty aroma, stirring periodically, about 4-5 minutes. Take care not to let the butter burn. Remove from heat, and whisk in the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice and syrup. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Pour half the dressing over the bread cubes, tossing to coat. When the vegetables are done, add them to the bowl, along with the sliced onions. Toss everything together with remaining dressing, and garnish with shaved Parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice if needed. Serve at room temperature.
Per serving: 506 calories, 9 g protein, 45 g carbohydrate, 35 g fat (9 g saturated), 23 mg cholesterol, 471 mg sodium, 9 g fiber.