Chef Joe Bachman's Grilled Corn & Tomato Panzanella Salad

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I selected the specific items because they are local and pair well with an outdoor barbecue. I was inspired by Tim Stark’s Book, Heirloom: Notes from an Accidental Tomato Farmer, which is a super cool book and inside look at how the heirloom tomato craze came about.

Grilled Corn and Tomato Panzanella Salad

by Chef Joe Bachman

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

5 ears jersey bi-color corn, cleaned
5 assorted Eckerton Farms Heirloom Tomatoes (or your local heirloom tomatoes)
2 shallots, finely minced
1 clove garlic, microplaned
2 oranges, segmented
1 cup torn fresh basil
1/4 cup torn fresh mint
Olive Oil
Sherry Vinegar
1/2 loaf leftover bread or baguette (cornbread also works well)

Procedure

Season corn with salt & pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and then grill. After they get a nice char, cut the kernels from the cobs on a cutting board and set aside.
Take your bread and slice in to 1″ slices. Drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper then grill. Let cool. Cut in to 1″ x 1″ Cubes and set aside.
Wash the tomatoes and cut them in to 1 inch pieces. I like to cut them in to different sizes and shapes for a more rustic look.
Remove the skin from the oranges with a knife by cutting the top and bottom of the orange slightly so you have a flat surface to work on. Then take the segments out 1 by 1 making sure not to get any of the white bitter membrane in there.
To prepare the dressing: in a mixing bowl, add the shallots, garlic, 1 cup orange juice, 3 tbsp sherry vinegar, 1 cup olive oil, the torn basil, and torn mint and whisk together.
In a large bowl, add tomatoes, grilled corn, oranges, season with salt and pepper then add in the dressing.
Lastly, fold in the croutons, then the salad is ready to enjoy.