Panzanella - Tomato and Bread Salad

David abruptly got up, went into the pantry and re emerged with a handful of bacon cut directly from the large smoked leg of pork kept hanging from the hook in there, in typical David fashion more hacked than sliced, which he dropped on the counter as he pulled out a skillet. Philip swallowed oatmeal, carefully keeping his voice level.

“David......”

“I’m not starting the day on damn rabbit food.” David dropped the skillet on the stove top, and added the bacon with utter finality, enough of it to be quite clear that it was not just his own interests he was defending. “The grownups get bacon.”

~ Jackson High

Ingredients

5 vine tomatoes roughly chopped and crushed (squeezing in your hands is fine) 

1/2 cucumber cubed small

1/4 red onion chopped small

1 garlic clove finely chopped, or a teaspoon of garlic puree

2 tablespoons of good olive oil

1/2 tablespoon of good balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar

1/2 loaf of fresh, crusty bread 

large handful of fresh basil leaves torn up. 

~*~          ~*~          ~*~          ~*~          ~*~          ~*~          ~*~          ~*~          ~*~          ~*~

Directions

Put the bread in the oven to warm until lightly toasted. Mix all the other ingredients thoroughly in a bowl. Tear the bread into bite sized chunks and stir into the salad. Put aside and let sit for ten minutes to half an hour to let the flavours work together before you eat. 

Submitted by Ranger