Panzanella Salad by Kamil Witek of Salt Café in Edinburgh

Salt café with it's industrial, reclaimed interior stands out from the crowd in Morningside, Edinburgh. Seamlessly transforming from café brunch culture into informal evening dining.

Chef Kamil Witek brings an ambitious touch to the menu, never settling for just a classic take on a dish. The Panzanella Salad is a staple on both the daytime and evening menu, with Kamil executing a more refined version of the traditional Tuscan salad.

 

Ingredients: Serves 4

4 red peppers

6 plum or beef tomatoes

1 banana shallot

10 gordal olives

1 tbsp of salted capers

4 tbsp of whole Sicilian almonds

6 anchovy filets

1 bunch of basil

1 tsp of dried oregano

good pinch of sea salt

good pinch of freshly ground pepper

2 small stale ciabattas

60ml good quality extra virgin olive oil

30ml good quality red wine vinegar

Parmesan shavings and fresh rocket for garnish

 

Method:

1. To start, roast the red peppers for 30 minutes at 200°C (180°C for fan ovens) and then allow to rest for 15 minutes under cover. Once cooled, peel of the skin and discard. Finely slice the flesh of the pepper.

2. To make the tomato concasse, blanch the tomatoes and remove skin. Then dice into cubes smaller than 1cm. Discarding the seeds.

3. Slice the olives and finely slice the shallots into long strips (julienne).

4. Mix the ingredients from the previous steps with shredded basil, oregano, oil, capers, whole anchovies, vinegar and a pinch of sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

5.  At the bottom of 4 bowls, place some shredded (ideally stale) ciabatta.

6. Add the vegetable mix on top of the ciabatta.

7. Top with almonds, rocket and Parmesan.

8. Finally, drizzle over some extra olive oil and they are ready to serve.

In association with Taste Communications.

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