Panzanella of Crisp Summer Vegetables

I just have a bit of trouble letting summer go.  So I make a panzanella with crispy summer veggies.

Don't ever throw away stale bread.  Freeze it if you have to, but use it to make this delicious version of an Italian veggie salad.  You can mix all kinds of left over bread.  I pan toast my bread up a bit.  As it absorbs the dressing in the salad, it turns into a semi-crispy, and semi-soft pillow of buttery, salad flavored beauty.

This is a complete side dish for so many things - grilled foods, soups, or a brunch omelet.  Dress generously to allow those bread cubes to do their thing!
5 oz fresh green beans, trimmed and cut in half
1 yellow summer squash, diced (central seeds discarded)
2 cups broccoli floweretts
1 orange pepper, diced
1/4 purple Burmuda onion, finely sliced

1 Tbsp olive oil plus 1 Tbsp butter
1 tsp dried or fresh herbs of choice - I used fresh thyme and rosemary, chopped
1/2 leftover ciobatta bread, cubed 1/2-inch - 4 cups
palmful fresh parsley
1 Tbsp sesame seeds

Dressing:
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1 generous tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
lots ground fresh pepper
1 tsp dried dill
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced

Heat a medium pot of water to boiling. Salt generously, with at least a tablespoon coarse Kosher salt. Add the green beans and cook 2 minutes. Add the broccoli and cook another 2 minutes. Add the squash and cook another 2 minutes.

Drain the veggies well and rinse with a bit of cold water to stop the cooking, and cool the veggies. Tip into a bowl and add the orange pepper and purple onion. Slide into the refrigerator to chill out well.

Meanwhile, whisk together the dressing in a bowl. Then brown the bread. Add the oil, butter and herbs to a large non-stick skillet.

When bubbling, add the bread. Stir to mix together quickly. Cook over medium heat to brown the bread cubes to your liking.

Set the cubes aside.

Now dress the veggies with the dressing to your liking - be generous as you will also add bread which you want to sop up a good bit of dressing as well. You probably won't use all the dressing, but serve it on the side fro those who want more.  Toss in the bread cubes and garnish with parsley and sesame seeds.

Serves 6 as a side salad.

Cook's Note:  You can use most any veggies you like and have on hand.  I just blanch them just until crisp tender - cook to your liking, but always drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking - you don't want to end up with mushy veggies for this salad.  You can also roast veggies - which I have written up in these pages as well.

Most classic panzanellas have fresh tomatoes in them and I do that often - just didn't here and it was still fantastic.