Panzanella Salad

There are so many recipes for panzanella salad out there, it's easy to get overwhelmed. After some research on the internet, on blogs, and based on what I had in my refrigerator; I settled on the following recipe. I got my main inspiration from Elly but changed it to suit our tastes.

This salad was very refreshing, next time I may add more bread, but because I was serving this with the pulled pork sandwiches I didn't want to overload on the carbs. Feel free to increase or decrease the amounts of ingredients, just make sure to adjust the amount of dressing.

Panzanella Salad
adapted from Elly Says Opa!
Makes about 4 servings

4 ounces French or other day-old bread
1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
3 plum tomatoes, cut into chunks
1/2 large cucumber, cut into chunks
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers
4-6 ounces green beans, trimmed and cut in half
8 kalamata olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
Lemon Basil Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

Place a steamer basket in a medium pot, fill to bottom of steamer with water. Place green beans in pot and bring water to a boil. Cook just until beans turn bright green, then plunge into an ice bath to stop the cooking.

Cut bread into 1" pieces. Heat oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add bread, toss to coat with oil and cook until toasted, about 6-7 minutes. Remove the garlic, as it will be burned.

Place tomatoes, cucumbers, cheese, red peppers, green beans, and olives in a large bowl. Add bread, toss with vinaigrette, and serve.

Lemon Basil Vinaigrette
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
1/2 lemon, juiced (1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice)
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Whisk all ingredients together until well-blended.