The kids favourite salad / snack / lunch is always a version of a panzanella salad. It’s the one thing I can make for Oliver for school and know he’ll actually eat, plus, I love it (and Bo too). Finding something all four of us fight over eating is very, very rare. This week we had tons of family coming over to watch Oliver at baseball, and the kids were clamoring for a snack about 20 minutes before they were set to arrive. I figured that something on the healthy side would be a good bet, seeing as we were going to order pizza for dinner (I really am the worst food blogger ever).
Knowing that getting the kids to sit at the table for even a second when their favourite aunts, uncles, cousins, grandmas (you get the picture) arrived, I figured I’d throw the salad onto some skewers so they could grab it and go. This might just be my new favourite way to eat this salad too. The skewers looked so damn pretty on the table, I’m totally playing this off at Christmas (and pretending that they took as long to make as it looks like they did). In fact, I might make this a new blogging requirement. Like, if I’m going to blog, I’m going to have a plate of these beside me.
Panzanella Salad Skewers
Ingredients
- 1 pint sweet grape tomatoes
- 1 (130g) package bocconcini cheese, each piece cut in half
- 1 cucumber, peeled, cut into ½ thick slices, then halved
- 1 baguette, cut into ½" thick slices, then into chunks, or the centers cut out into rounds
- fresh basil leaves torn into bite size pieces
- pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil, to taste
- 1 tsp garlic salt, to taste
-
Balsamic glaze (Acetum Blaze Balsamic Glaze 2 Count 12.9 Fluid oz. Each
)
- bamboo skewers
)
Instructions
- Turn your oven on to broil. Lay the baguette pieces onto a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, then lightly season with garlic salt (or other seasoning of your choosing). Broil until lightly browned, tossing with a wooden spoon half way through. This only takes about 2 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a bowl to cool while you make the skewers.
- While the baguette pieces are browning, add your cucumber to a bowl and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Give it a toss, then set aside.
- Start layering up your skewers. Personally, I like to finish with bread, and I like the basil close to the cheese and tomatoes, so I go: cucumber, tomato cheese, basil, bread, repeat.
- Lay all the skewers on a plate and drizzle with the balsamic glaze.
- You could make these at least a couple of hours ahead of time, just don't put the glaze on. Wrap the dish tightly with plastic wrap once the bread is completely cool, and store in the fridge. Drizzle with the glaze just before service.
Let me know below!