Shrimp Panzanella

Found this recipe in Eating Well May/June 2010. The recipe is by Nancy Baggett.

We tried this recipe on Saturday night with a nice glass of wine. Colorful, healthy and taste great. This will be a great addition to my summer recipes. Great to make ahead and eat at a picnic.

This fresh-tasting panzanella (Italian bread-and-tomato salad) is made with shrimp, olives and plenty of herbs. You’ll need olives packed in flavorful brine to make the dressing.

4 servings

Ingredients

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 clove garlic, peeled and halved
4 cups 1/2-inch crusty multigrain bread cubes, preferably day-old
1 pound coarsely chopped peeled cooked shrimp
4 large ripe but firm tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 large green, red and/or yellow bell peppers, diced
3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1/4 cup sliced pitted Kalamata olives, plus 1/4 cup olive brine
3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or 3/4 teaspoon dried
Freshly ground pepper to taste
4 cups mixed salad greens

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Drizzle 2 tablespoons oil on a rimmed baking sheet. Mash garlic into the oil with a fork to infuse it with flavor; discard the garlic. Stir bread cubes into the oil until lightly coated. Bake, stirring every 5 minutes, until very crisp, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool completely.

Combine shrimp, tomatoes, bell peppers, parsley, chives, olives and olive brine, vinegar, thyme and the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large bowl. Season with pepper. Let stand for at least 10 minutes to blend the flavors. (I let it blend for 2 hours)
Toss the croutons with the shrimp mixture and serve the salad over greens.