Green Panzanella

One of my food hates is soggy bread so I’m careful with this adaptation.

200g podded peas

500g broad beans

150g young fennel

4 spring onions

½ a small cucumber

A dozen green olives

A handful flat leaf parsley

1 clove garlic

6tbsp olive oil

3tbsp red wine vinegar

4 slices sourdough bread

Get the boy podding the broad beans. He’s not allowed to do the peas as he eats too many of them. Some Vivaldi cello concerti would be good at this point, as you bring a pan of salty water to the boil. Peel and chop the cucumber and salt it well to draw out water (no soggy bread). Use good salt so you don’t ruin the flavour.

Cook the peas and beans for no more than 4 minutes, while the boy takes the bean shells  to the compost bin. Drain them and refresh under cold water. Pop the beans from their skins as soon as you can handle them.

Shred the fennel finely and pop it in a large bowl. Add the cool peas and beans. Already it looks good and worthy of the Vivaldi. Chop the spring onion. Wipe the cucumber dry with kitchen towel. The parsley is just roughly torn. Put it all in the bowl. It’s kind of like a salsa verde.

Normally you’d start soaking the bread by now, but I really don’t do that.

Finely chop the garlic and put in a small bowl with the oil and vinegar. Add plenty of sea salt and black pepper. It’s basically  a vinaigrette though a milder one than I usually make. Give it a good stir with a teaspoon. I’d like this to rest and infuse but there is no time. He’s hungry  It will do.

Toast the bread - I think charred edges would bring out the flavour. Pour the vinaigrette on the vegetables and toss gently. The boy thinks the term ‘toss gently’ is hilarious.Not surprised. Place the toast on the plates and spoon the veg over. He doesn’t mind having this much veg as he sees this as a deconstructed sandwich.  I serve it straight away so the toast doesn’t have too much chance to get damp.

We’re having it with calamari rings flash fried with garlic, white pepper and red chill -it's dressed with lemon juice and parsley. This is good enough that the calamari is the side rather than the main.

If we have this again this summer it will still be with Vivaldi, but with some tomatoes,  Basil leaves, and some capers. The garlic in the dressing will be smoked, it will have slightly more vinegar in homage to the tomatoes. But the toast will still be crisp and not soggy and it will be just as good.