One of our favorite Iowa City restaurants was Taste on Melrose and we ALWAYS had the Bread Salad. They used fresh mozzarella before it was ubiquitous, tender lettuce, homegrown tomatoes and large, hot, freshly grilled croutons. When the restaurant closed, I had to recreate it. This is it.
Mom
Dressing:
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/3-1/2 cup olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Salad:
- 1 head tender lettuce or Spring mix
- 2 thick slices sourdough/french bread
- 1 cup fresh tomatoes, diced
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, bite size pieces
- 1/4 cup basil, chopped (or 2 tablespoons pesto)
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Whisk dressing ingredients together, season to taste.
Place lettuce, mozzarella, basil, Parmesan and tomatoes in a large salad bowl but do not toss.
Cut the two thick slices of bread into 1″-2″ cubes. Place in a bowl and toss with several tablespoons olive oil, mixing it with your hands until the bread is evenly coated. Heat a griddle to medium and grill the bread, turning regularly until they are nice and toasty on all sides.
Add bread to the salad and toss with dressing until well mixed.
Serve while it’s still hot!
Spencer Family Cookbook 