Tomato & Mulberry Panzanella
Savouring summer days and seasonal ingredients
The summer solstice passed quietly, with the sun lingering slightly longer each evening until it began to pull away in its graceful and drawn out retreat. Still, days remain generous and it feels like squeezing so much more from them is within reach.
And so a few mornings ago, I rose early, drawn outside by the pull of the season. On my walk, I stopped to check on a mulberry tree nearby and found it full of gorgeous, deep red berries. Sweet, juicy, and slightly tart, the berries were perfect and only myself and a pair of doves seemed to share them. I stayed for a while, stretching to pluck fruit from branches above my head and tasting along the way, eventually leaving with purple-red stained hands, a container full of mulberries, and the gratitude and satisfaction of savouring one of my favourite, ephemeral fruits in its prime.
Connecting with an ingredient in this way gives you a much deeper appreciation for all of its nuances. Maybe the fruit is sweeter or more watery than normal, maybe there is less one season, or more. I often wonder why and find answers by paying attention to the context in which something grew. Elements of the environment are linked in a web of relationships that impact others around them, for better or worse. After a mild, not overly wet spring, berries might be sweet and juicy. Too much rain may yield waterlogged, bland berries, and so it goes. This variation is even more reason to pause when elements of nature find the perfect balance for fruit that is full of flavour. These are moments to be seized and savoured fully.
When a fruit is so wonderful, I try not to process it very much. Here, mulberries are paired with juicy tomatoes, handfuls of herbs, and golden sourdough croutons in a delicious summer salad. If you aren’t able to find mulberries, try replacing them with another seasonal fruit, like cherries, peaches, or strawberries, for an equally lovely meal. Enjoy x
Ingredients:
¼ loaf of sourdough, roughly torn into 1” pieces
Olive oil
Flaky salt, like maldon
Black pepper
1 ½ tbsp red wine vinegar
1 small sweet onion or shallot, peeled, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
500g of the best tomatoes you can find
Handful of basil leaves
Handful of mint leaves
100g mulberries
100g feta (optional)
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F and toss the torn sourdough with a generous drizzle of olive oil, a good pinch of salt, and a few cracks of black pepper. Place on a tray and roast, tossing halfway, until golden and crispy, roughly 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, place the red wine vinegar and thinly sliced onion in a large bowl. Let the onion pickle for 5 minutes, then whisk in 2 tbsp olive oil, a few cracks of black pepper and a pinch of salt.
3. Remove the stem from each tomato, then roughly chop them into bite-sized chunks. Place them in the bowl with the vinegar mixture, then add the croutons and herbs. Use your hands to gently toss to coat everything in the dressing, then arrange on a serving platter garnished with the mulberries, another pinch of flaky salt, and a drizzle of oil.
Gosh this sounds so good