Six O’Clock Solution: Ensalada de Crostes makes crusts into fun

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Spanish fishermen would take leftover bread out to sea for their meals and add the crusts to salad, along with leftovers from the day’s catch, according to cookbook author Emma Warren in Spanish At Home: Feasts & Sharing Plates from Iberian Kitchens (Smith Street Books/Penguin Random House, $47).

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The Australian-born chef, who trained partly in Spanish home kitchens, includes a variety of lusty salads in her book, which is enhanced by superb photographs by Rochelle Eagle. The salads are sustaining main courses of colourful, crunchy foods, ideal for summer dining and celebrating what the author calls “the season of abundant produce.” She claims “there is a salad for every day of the year in Spain,” often combining vegetables with meat or fish. Dressings are usually made of good olive oil and the essential sherry vinegar, plus salt and pepper. And traditionally the salad is served undressed, waiting for you to add dressing.

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Ensalada de Crostes (bread crust salad)

Serves 6

1 medium loaf (450 g) crusty white bread, in bite-size chunks (2.5 L)

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1 medium onion, thinly sliced

2-1/2 tablespoons (37 mL) extra virgin olive oil

1-1/2 tablespoons (22 mL) sherry vinegar

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

Pinch superfine sugar

1 small green bell pepper, very finely chopped

1 pound (500 g/3 medium) tomatoes, chopped or sliced

Sea salt

Freshly ground pepper

6 sardines or large anchovy fillets

6 capers, cut in half

3 sprigs flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 C). Spread bread chunks on a baking sheet and sprinkle with a little water before baking in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until lightly toasted and dried out. Set aside.

Immerse onion slices in a small bowl of ice water for 10 minutes, then drain well.

Make dressing in a small bowl, combining the oil, vinegar, garlic and sugar.

Add chopped pepper and set aside.

When ready to serve, place onion in a large bowl with the toasted bread, tomatoes and dressing, tossing to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper, making sure the bread is coated with the dressing.

To serve, scatter top of salad with sardines, capers and parsley.

julianarmstrong1@gmail.com

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