California-style cooking is simple and uses only locally grown, sustainable ingredients that are harvested at their peak of ripeness. Wine Institute and California Association of Winegrape Growers have this farm-fresh recipe to compliment a wide range of California wines.
Warm Harvest Bread Salad
1 lb loaf of artisan bread, best if it is a day old
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oils
2 shallots, minced
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider or pear vinegar
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaf
4 to 5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oils
2 tablespoons butter
2 firm-ripe pears
3/4 cup pitted olives, halved
Quartered 3/4 cup cherry tomatoes
3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
Place the bread on a work surface and cut in half. The crusts should be removed and the bread should be about 1/4 inch in diameter. Preheat the oven broiler. Lightly brush the bread with olive oil. Place it on a sheet pan. Broil the bread until the bread becomes a little darker. Turn the oven off and continue to broil until all surfaces are lightly toasted. Let cool. Cut into pieces of 2 inches. Cover with a wide shallow bowl. This can be done up until a day before.
Place the shallots in a bowl. Season with 1 teaspoon salt. Add the sugar and vinegar to the bowl and stir gently to dissolve the sugar. Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes before adding the thyme. Add 4 tablespoons olive oil to the bowl. Taste the mixture and, if you feel it is too tart, add the rest of the olive oil.
Toss the bread with half of the dressing. Set aside.
Put the butter into a medium sauté pan. Quickly peel the pears and cut them into quarters. Melt the butter over medium-low heat, add the pears and sauté, turning gently with a spatula, until they are lightly browned all over. Add the olives, cherry tomato, and parsley to the bread. Place the salad in a bowl and toss it.
The bread salad can be served with a roasted poultry, either using the recipe below or your favorite recipe. www.discovercaliforniawine.com(Click on CA Wine Month). The white meat can be paired with Chardonnay and the dark meat with Pinot Noir. To serve just one wine, consider a dry rosé.
