Roasted Caramelized Grape and Chèvre Panzanella
Like classic summertime panzanella, this spring interpretation is best made using fresh toasted bread rather than day-old bread.
Ingredients
- 1 sourdough baguette cut into 1” cubes
- 3 ½ pounds red seedless grapes stems cut into 4-5 small bunches
- ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
- 2 ¾ teaspoons salt divided
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 8 ounces fresh chèvre crumbled into large chunks
- 7 sprigs fresh thyme de-stemmed and divided
- Flaky salt to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400°F. Coat bread cubes in one-quarter cup olive oil and 1 teaspoon salt. Toast in a single layer on a half-sheet pan for 8-10 minutes. Flip the cubes using tongs and cook for another 8-10 minutes, or until just browned. Set aside to cool.
- Increase oven temperature to 450°F. Drizzle 1-2 tablespoons olive oil over grape bunches and half the prepared thyme on a half-sheet pan. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Roast for 15 minutes, flip each bunch and cook for another 15 minutes. Remove grapes and immediately deglaze pan with balsamic vinegar. Use a silicone spatula to scrape and mix juices on the pan. Pour deglazed mixture into a large liquid measuring cup with the remaining half-cup olive oil and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Whisk vigorously until a thick opaque balsamic dressing forms.
- Layer together roasted grapes, prepared sourdough cubes, and fresh chèvre chunks on a serving dish. Drizzle balsamic dressing over top and garnish with loose thyme pieces. Sprinkle with flaky salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Jenny Bravo
Jenny Bravo is a food photographer and the owner of a production studio and online home decor store in Portland, ME. Having started her career out of culinary school as a private chef, she is passionate about developing simple and elegant seasonal recipes.
