Bread Salsa

Serves
makes 2 cups

MATT TAYLOR-GROSS

Published on November 17, 2016

"In a nutshell, this recipe is a vinaigrette made with bread," says chef Andrew Tarlow. He's being humble. Herbaceous, the right kind of salty, and textural, this rustic breadcrumb and anchovy laden condiment adds crunch and brightness to sliced roasted meats and vegetables. It is adapted from Tarlow's book Dinner at the Long Table and originally inspired by Alice Waters.

Fromage Fort

Matt Taylor-Gross

Ingredients

1 shallot, minced
splashes of red wine vinegar
3 cloves garlic
8 anchovy fillets
Leaves from 3 small bunches parsley, finely chopped
Leaves from 1 small bunch summer savory, finely chopped
¹⁄₄ cup capers, rinsed and chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 baguette, crusts trimmed away, insides coarsely chopped
1 cup olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon

Instructions

Step 1

In a small bowl, soak the shallot in a splash of red wine vinegar. Set aside.

Step 2

Using a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic and then the anchovies into a paste. Stir in the parsley, oregano, savory, and capers, and add enough olive oil to make a wet salsa. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

Step 3

In a food processor, pulse the bread into large crumbs.

Step 4

Set a sieve or fine colander into a heatproof bowl, and place next to the stove. Add the oil to a large skillet, and heat until hot (a crumb dropped into the oil should form bubbles around it). Add a third of the breadcrumbs and fry, stirring constantly, until golden brown. Drain in the prepared sieve, then add the strained oil back to the pan. Repeat the process with the remaining breadcrumbs.

Step 5

Just before serving, stir the lemon juice, shallot mixture, and three-quarters of the fried breadcrumbs into the herb mixture until the bread is well incorporated. If the ratio can still handle more bread, add the remaining breadcrumbs. Served the bread salsa with lamb or other roasted or sliced meats.

In a small bowl, soak the shallot in a splash of red wine vinegar. Set aside.
Using a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic and then the anchovies into a paste. Stir in the parsley, oregano, savory, and capers, and add enough olive oil to make a wet salsa. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
In a food processor, pulse the bread into large crumbs.
Set a sieve or fine colander into a heatproof bowl, and place next to the stove. Add the oil to a large skillet, and heat until hot (a crumb dropped into the oil should form bubbles around it). Add a third of the breadcrumbs and fry, stirring constantly, until golden brown. Drain in the prepared sieve, then add the strained oil back to the pan. Repeat the process with the remaining breadcrumbs.
Just before serving, stir the lemon juice, shallot mixture, and three-quarters of the fried breadcrumbs into the herb mixture until the bread is well incorporated. If the ratio can still handle more bread, add the remaining breadcrumbs. Served the bread salsa with lamb or other roasted or sliced meats.