MOLLY here: I’m so excited to welcome Jen Collins Moore to Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen as my first guest. Her book is funny and just as warm and inviting as this recipe. Jen does all the food photography for her meal kit company, Meez Meals based in Chicago, hence these gorgeous pictures. Yum!
Travel to Rome with debut novelist Jen Collins Moore’s Murder in the Piazza
Like
my detective Maggie White, I’m in love with Italian food. Particularly the
summer variety, which is high in flavor and light on effort. This Italian bread
salad fits the bill: it’s just ten minutes of hands-on cooking and perfect for
eating on a balcony overlooking a bustling piazza, taking on a picnic on
Janiculum Hill with its panoramic views over the Eternal City, or anywhere
you’re currently calling home.
This
salad is FLEXIBLE. Adjust the flavors and ingredients to your taste. I promise
it’ll be delicious.
Roasted
Artichoke & Fresh Mozzarella Panzanella
Serves
2, Scales Easily
Ingredients
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 15 oz cans of artichokes, drained
10 basil leaves
½ cucumber
1 Tbsp capers
2 cups of great bread, cut into ½” cubes (baguettes, sourdough and
Italian all work well)
4 oz fresh mozzarella
1 cup cannellini beans, canned or cooked
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
½ tsp Dijon mustard
½ tsp sea salt, plus more for roasting
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
 |
| Ingredients |
Instructions
Preheat
your oven to 450. I preheat a rimmed baking sheet at the same time so my
ingredients get a jump start as soon as they go into the oven.
Put
the artichokes into a large mixing bowl and drizzle with olive and sprinkle
with salt and pepper. Add to your hot baking sheet and cook for 5 minutes.
After
five minutes, put the bread chunks into the now-empty mixing bowl and drizzle
with more oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Use a generous hand, here. The
oil makes a difference. Mix well, then add to the baking sheet with the
artichokes. Give everything a stir and
cook for 10 more minutes, stirring once halfway through.
 |
| cut bread into chunks |
 |
| coat bread chunks with oil |
 |
| roast artichokes and bread chunks |
Once the artichokes are browned and the bread is toasted, transfer it back to your mixing bowl.
While
the artichokes and bread are cooking, prepare the rest of your ingredients. Cut
the mozzarella into bite-size chunks, drain the beans, rinse, and halve your
tomatoes, sliver the basil, and cut your cucumber into bite-size chunks, and
add to the mixing bowl.
 |
| chop veggies |
Now mix up the dressing in a jar or second mixing bowl. Combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper. Taste with a bit of bread or a piece of cucumber and adjust the seasonings to your taste. Drizzle half over the salad and mix well, then add more if it needs a little extra.
The
salad is ready to eat warm or put it in the fridge to enjoy up to two days
later. As it rests, the bread will soak up oil and juices and takes on a whole
new flavor.
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| This looks so good! |
Readers: Now it’s your turn. What flavors transport you to Rome? Please share in the comments below for a chance to win a copy of my book. And join my mailing list for a second chance. Both contests close 6/15/21.
Jen
Collins Moore transports readers to Rome in her new series, the Maggie White
Mysteries. The perfect blend of funny and smart, Jen's debut novel, Murder in the Piazza, is filled with the
art, history, and food of Europe's greatest city. The founder of Meez Meals, Chicago’s most popular meal
kit, Jen lives in the Windy City with her husband and two sons when she's not
traveling the globe.
