Mississippi Vegan’s Fried Caper Panzanella Salad

by Timothy Pakron

Here we have the classic Panzanella salad but with some special Mississippi Vegan magic. The most important takeaway from this recipe (aside from the fact you’ll want to make it again and again) is the fried capers. Oh my goodness, the fried capers. If you’ve never had them, you are very welcome indeed. What happens to be green, unopened flower buds, capers pack a big punch of flavor. They are bright and lemony with some olive notes, and because they are pickled, they are salty and briny. When fried- they become crispy and even more delightful than they already are! For the dressing, we’re sizzling up some vegan butter with fresh oregano, fresh thyme, crushed red pepper flakes, freshly cracked black pepper, and lots of garlic and shallots. All of this tossed with juicy ripe, heirloom tomatoes and thin slices of pan-fried focaccia bread? Forget about it!

Prep time: 15 | Cook time: 10 | Serves 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS • 3 Tablespoons olive oil • ½ cup capers, drained and patted dry • 7 oz. sourdough focaccia bread, thinly sliced into 2-inch pieces, ½” thick • 3 heaping Tablespoons vegan butter • 1 large shallot, sliced • 3 cloves garlic, chopped • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (less if you don’t like spicy!) • 1 Tablespoon fresh oregano leaves • 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme leaves • 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar (or sherry vinegar) • Freshly cracked black pepper + salt, to taste • 2 pounds heirloom tomatoes, sliced into 2-inch pieces, ½” thick INSTRUCTIONS 1) In a large skillet, add 3 tablespoons of olive oil and bring to medium-high heat. Once hot, throw in the capers and cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring every so often, until crispy. Taste one to make sure they are crispy and then remove from the skillet. Set them aside to garnish at the very end. 2) Next, place sliced bread in the same skillet with leftover oil and pan-fry until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes on each side. Drizzle in a little bit more oil, if needed. You want the slices to get toasty brown but still remain somewhat chewy on the inside. Once done, add the bread to a beautiful large salad bowl and set aside. 3) For the dressing, in a separate small pan, add the butter and bring to medium-high heat. Throw in the shallots, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, oregano leaves, thyme leaves, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Bring to a sizzle and cook for a few minutes until the shallots and garlic are tender and the oregano leaves are crisped and curled. Remove from heat and set aside. 4) Time to assemble! Add the sliced tomatoes to the large salad bowl with bread and gently toss. Add a few splashes of red wine vinegar (about 1 tablespoon). Using a spoon, spread the dressing over the bread and tomatoes and then pour every last drop out. Gently toss again. Right before serving, sprinkle the fried capers over the top and a bit of flaky salt, to taste. Eat immediately.