Best Thanksgiving Panzanella Recipes

THANKSGIVING PANZANELLA

Steps:

• Melt butter over medium heat in a cast iron skillet. Add onions and cook over low-medium heat, about 30 minutes, or until the onions go nearly perfectly transparent. Do not get color on the onions. Remove from pan and save.
• Add 1-2 T of the butter from the onions to the skillet and cook the apples over medium heat until they have taken on a light golden color and have become fork-tender. Remove and add to the onions.
• Cook the sausage over medium until browned, using the back of a wood spoon to break the sausage up as it cooks. Remove cooked sausage and any fat which rendered out and add to the onions/apples.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the french loaf and whole grain cubed breads. Using your hands, loosely crumble the moist cornbread and mix all three to incorporate.
• Add the onions, apples, sausage, butter, and reserved fat. Mix bowl contents to evenly moisten all components.
• Season with fresh thyme, sage leaf powder, grey sea salt, fresh black pepper, olive oil, and mix. If the panzanella is still too dry, slowly incorporate up to 1 C of good chicken stock. This will vary greatly depending on how dried the bread cubes are. Work a little at a time!
• Finally, mix in toasted, lightly crushed pecan halves, and garnish top with brown-butter fried sage leaves.
• Serve warm (or cold the next day; who doesn't love Thanksgiving leftovers?!) and enjoy!

PANZANELLA OF PLENTY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Combine all dressing ingredients, whisking well, and set aside.
• Toss brussels sprout halves, butternut squash cubes, and beet cubes with 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, sea salt and black pepper. Spread veggies in a single layer on a baking sheet or two. Sprinkle with chopped thyme and bake for 25 minutes, stirring once. Remove and place into a large salad bowl for later mixing.
• Toss cubed bread with remaining 1/2 cup olive oil. Spread out on a sheet pan and toast for no longer than 10 minutes. They should be crispy on the outside, but still slightly soft inside. Set aside to cool.
• In the salad bowl with the roasted vegetables, add the cranberries, chestnuts and leafy greens. Add the croutons and mix all ingredients evenly. Pour the dressing over the salad, tossing again, and let it all marinate for about 10 minutes. Add any optional toppings and serve at room temperature.

PANZANELLA

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saute pan. Add the bread and salt; cook over low to medium heat, tossing frequently, for 10 minutes, or until nicely browned. Add more oil as needed.
• For the vinaigrette, whisk all the ingredients together.
• In a large bowl, mix the tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, yellow pepper, red onion, basil, and capers. Add the bread cubes and toss with the vinaigrette. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Serve, or allow the salad to sit for about half an hour for the flavors to blend.

AUTUMN PANZANELLA

Steps:

• For the croutons: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Melt 1/4 cup butter in a large skillet over moderate heat and cook until it foams. In a large bowl, pour the butter over the 12 cups cubed bread and toss to coat. Sprinkle with Parmesan and freshly ground black pepper. Toss to season all of the bread. Transfer the bread to a baking sheet.
• Bake, stirring once or twice, until the croutons are crisp and lightly colored on the outside but still soft within, about 15 minutes. Let cool.
• Croutons can be made 1 day ahead and stored in an airtight container.
• *Michael's Notes: I use a serrated knife to remove the crust from day-old bread, then switch to a chef's knife to cut the cubes because it doesn't tear the bread. Also note that I recommend grating the Parmesan finely so that it will stick to the bread better.
• For the dressing: Melt the butter in a small skillet over moderately low heat. Add the yellow onion and saute until soft, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the vinegar and stir with a wooden spoon to release any browned bits stuck on the bottom of the skillet. Transfer to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. With the machine running, slowly add 1/2 cup of the olive oil, then the water. Transfer to a bowl and season with salt and pepper.
• For the salad: Heat a large skillet over high heat. When hot, add 1/4 cup olive oil. When the oil begins to smoke, sprinkle in the mushrooms. Don't stir! Let them sizzle until they have caramelized on the bottom, about 2 minutes. If you toss them too soon, they will release their liquid and begin to steam. When the bottoms are caramelized, toss the mushrooms, reduce the heat to moderate, and continue to cook until well browned. Stir in the thyme and garlic and cook for about 1 minute to release their fragrance. Season with salt and pepper.
• In a large bowl, combine the croutons, the mushrooms, and the onion dressing. Toss well to coat. Add the celery, red onion, and arugula or spinach and toss again gently. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Grate fresh Parmesan on top and serve immediately.