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Tunisian Bread Salad

Ingredients
  

  • 3 or 4 handfuls of spinach or arugula
  • 2 large ripe tomatoes
  • 1 red pepper
  • 1 green bell pepper
  • 1 serrano pepper
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 teaspoon dried mint I love fresh herbs, but this goes into the dressing and using dried really works -- a serendipitous discovery
  • 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon capers
  • 1 teaspoon harissa Moroccan hot sauce
  • 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
  • 4 generous slices whole grain or country bread cubed
  • kalamata olives for garnish
  • fresh chopped cilantro and mint for garnish
  • nonvegans can garnish with 2 hard-boiled eggs halved
  • sea salt and freshly ground pepper to finish

Instructions
 

  • The day before you enjoy your salad, preheat oven to 400. Tomatoes, peppers, and garlic go into a large baking pan, the pan goes into the oven and you let the whole thing roast for 30 minutes until vegetables are nice and soft.
  • Remove from oven and let cool.  Chop tomatoes and peppers.  This will let loose a torrent of juice. Save every drop to a large bowl. Mince garlic and place in the bowl.  Place colander atop bowl, fill with the chopped tomatoes and peppers.  Refrigerate overnight, allowing vegetable juices to drain.  Vegetables do not need to be covered.
  • The next day, take your roasted vegetables and veggie juice from the fridge.  Remove the colander of vegetables and set aside for a few minutes.  To the bowl of accumulated vegetable juices, add dried mint, caraway, coriander, olive oil harissa and vinegar.  Whisk together briefly.
  • Place greens on a serving platter or in a shallow bowl.  
  • Lightly and swiftly, dip bread cubes into dressing, letting the flavor permeate, not the wetness.  Scatter bread cubes on top of greens, arrange peppers and tomatoes on top.   Garnish with olives, capers, chopped cilantro and mint (and for nonvegans, egg halves).  Drizzle any remaining dressing on top.  Sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt and a generous grinding of pepper and knock yourself out.