Craig Richards of St. Cecilia demoed this recipe at the Peachtree Road Farmers Market. Love the combination of melon, cucumber and peppers.
Ingredients:
Peppers 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 pound day-old bread, crust removed and torn into pieces 3 sprigs thyme 1/2 cantaloupe or other summer melon, peeled, seeds removed and cut into 1/4-inch dice 1 red onion, spring onion or shallot, julienned 2 cucumbers, cut into 1/4- inch half moons Fresh basil leaves Charred Pepper Vinaigrette: 4 mild peppers 1 cup honey 1 cup champagne vinegar Zest and juice of 1 orange 1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil 1/2 shallot
Preparation:
Grill the peppers over direct heat or in a dry non-stick pan until blackened all over. Put in a mixing box and cover with plastic to steam. When cool enough to peel, remove skin and tear into 1/2- inch pieces.
Melt butter in pan over medium heat, add bread and thyme, season with salt and cook, turning frequently until crispy.
Combine peppers, croutons, melon, onion, cucumbers and basil in a bowl, dress with vinaigrette and let rest for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Serve on cool or room temperature plates.
To make the vinaigrette: Grill the peppers and remove the seeds from three. In the jar of a blender, combine four peppers, honey, vinegar, orange juice and zest, shallot and olive oil. Blend until emulsified.