12 slices day-old country bread, e.g. pain au levain
1/2 cup olive oil, plus more for brushing
3 garlic cloves, smased to a paste with a little salt, plus a few cloves for swiping the bread
1 shallot, minced (or 1/2 small sweet onion)
3 Tb red wine vinegar
1 Tb capers, rinsed and roughly chopped
1/2 cup nicoise olives, pitted and roughly chopped
salt
pepper
6 ripe large tomatoes, rougly cubed
1 small cucumber, sliced (no need to peal if the skin is tender)
1 generous handful of basil leaves, roughly chopped
1 generous handful of parsley leaves, roughly chopped
lettuce/arugula leaves (optional)
1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Paint the bread generously with olive oil on both sides and place it on a baking sheet. Bake until the slices are lightly golden, but still a little soft inside, about 10 minutes, turning halfway through. Let the bread cool, and swipe each slice with a garlic clove. Chop the bread into rough cubes. Set aside.
2. To make the vinaigrette, macerate the shallot/onion in the vinegar for 5 minutes with a generous pinch of salt. Stir in the garlic paste and add the 1/2 cup olive oil. Add the capers and olives, and stir well. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper (at least 1/4 tsp. salt).
3. Chop and slice the tomatoes and cucumbers and put them in a large bowl and season well with salt and pepper. Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables. Add the bread and toss gently. Let sit for at least 30 minutes.
4. Toss the salad again. Sprinkle generously with most of the basil and parsley, toss a final time, sprinkle the remaining herbs and serve (if desired, serve atop lettuce leaves or arugula).
Goes well with Green Beans in Onion Vinaigrette or Rosemary Roasted Potatoes.
Season: Summer.