This hearty salad is packed with so many vegetables that I often serve it as a main course. It’s a real lifesaver when guests announce, “Oh, by the way, did I mention I’m a vegetarian?” It welcomes just about any edible treasure from the farmers’ market or my garden, from sliced sugar snap peas to colorful nasturtium flowers, slender French green beans to crunchy cucumbers, plus all kinds of peppers. Think seasonally: try fall veggies like roasted acorn squash, steamed broccoli florets, or fall lettuces, or bias-cut and steamed spring asparagus. Any good artisan bread will do, but I prefer a dense white or whole-wheat sourdough; try day-old loaves from your bakery.

　　

Ingredients

serves 12

　　

Salad

1/4 to 1/2 cup pine nuts, for garnish

　　1 whole round loaf day-old rustic bread (about 1 pound)

　　3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

　　1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

　　1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

　　3 ears sweet corn, shucked and steamed in the microwave on high for 3 minutes

　　3 bell peppers (red, yellow, orange, or any combination), cored, seeded, and coarsely chopped

　　1 medium zucchini, cut in 1/8-inch-thick slices and quartered

　　1 medium yellow squash, cut in 1/8-inch-thick slices and quartered

　　2 pints assorted cherry tomatoes, halved

　　1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, cut into ribbons

　　2 cups loosely packed baby arugula or other baby greens

　　3 tablespoons loosely packed fresh Italian parsley leaves, chopped

　　1 large heirloom or farmstand tomato, cored, sliced, and cut into bite-size pieces

　　Parmesan curls, for garnish (see Tip, page 18)

　　

Vinaigrette

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

　　1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

　　2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 medium lemon)

　　1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

　　2 large cloves garlic, minced

　　2 teaspoons kosher salt

　　1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

　　1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

　　

Step 1

TO MAKE THE BREAD SALAD: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the pine nuts on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake until golden, about 5 minutes. Check frequently to make sure they do not burn. Set aside to cool.

　　

Step 2

Increase the heat to 400°F. Cut the bread (with crust) into 3/4-inch cubes. Combine the melted butter, olive oil, and salt in a small bowl. Spread the cubes on a baking sheet in a single layer and toss with the butter mixture to coat evenly. Bake, turning occasionally, until the cubes are browned and crisp, about 30 minutes. Cool the bread thoroughly on the baking sheet.

　　

Step 3

Cut the corn kernels off the cob, and place in an extra-large serving bowl along with the bell peppers, zucchini, squash, cherry tomatoes, basil, arugula, and parsley. Toss to mix evenly. Add the heirloom tomato pieces and toss gently.

　　

Step 4

TO MAKE THE VINAIGRETTE: Whisk together the vinegars, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add the olive oil in a steady stream, whisking constantly until the dressing emulsifies. Pour over the salad and toss to mix.

　　

Step 5

TO SERVE: Garnish with the Parmesan shavings and toasted pine nuts. Serve the dressed salad immediately.

　　

do it early

Step 6

Cover and refrigerate the salad and dressing separately up to 24 hours in advance. Dress the salad and garnish with Parmesan and pine nuts just before serving.

　　

tip

Step 7

To make Parmesan curls, scrape a vegetable peeler across the surface of the block of cheese.

　　Pastry Queen Parties by Rebecca Rather and Alison Oresman. Copyright © 2009 Rebecca Rather and Alison Oresman. Published by Ten Speed Press. All Rights Reserved.A pastry chef, restaurateur, and cookbook author, native Texan Rebecca Rather has been proprietor of the Rather Sweet Bakery and Café since 1999. Open for breakfast and lunch daily, Rather Sweet has a fiercely loyal cadre of regulars who populate the café’s sunlit tables each day. In 2007, Rebecca opened her eponymous restaurant, serving dinner nightly, just a few blocks from the café.  Rebecca is the author of THE PASTRY QUEEN, and has been featured in Texas Monthly, Gourmet, Ladies Home Journal, Food & Wine, Southern Living, Chocolatier, Saveur, and O, The Oprah Magazine. When she isn’t in the bakery or on horseback, Rebecca enjoys the sweet life in Fredericksburg, where she tends to her beloved backyard garden and menagerie, and eagerly awaits visits from her college-age daughter, Frances.Alison Oresman has worked as a journalist for more than twenty years. She has written and edited for newspapers in Wyoming, Florida, and Washington State. As an entertainment editor for the Miami Herald, she oversaw the paper’s restaurant coverage and wrote a weekly column as a restaurant critic. After settling in Washington State, she also covered restaurants in the greater Seattle area as a critic with a weekly column. A dedicated home baker, Alison is often in the kitchen when she isn't writing. Alison lives in Bellevue, Washington, with her husband, Warren, and their children, Danny and Callie.