PREGO PANZANELLA SALAD WITH DIJON VINAIGRETTE

- METHOD -

Place the rump steak in a large flat bowl. Add a third of a cup of olive oil, the two cloves of garlic, the rosemary and 2 Tbsp Cape Herb & Spice Portuguese Peri Peri Rub to the steak. Toss to ensure everything is coated and allow to marinate for an hour.

You could do all the cooking for this salad on a stove top and in your oven, but you could also make this entire salad on the braai. If you choose to go the braai route, place peppers on a hot braai, turning them from time to time. They will blacken and blister. Once they look like that all over, pop them in a plastic bag and seal it. Leave peppers to sweat for five minutes. Now it will be easy to peel off the skin and remove the pips. Roughly chop or tear peppers.

Drizzle thick-cut ciabatta slices with olive oil and grate over parmesan, patting lightly to push parmesan into bread. Pop bread onto the braai. Braai until golden all over, then remove and set aside. Give the steak a final dusting of our Cape Herb & Spice Portuguese Peri Peri Rub and braai that until done to your liking.

Next, combine all the vinaigrette ingredients in a bottle with a screw cap and shake it vigorously to emulsify.

Then slice the steak and plate up with tomatoes, peppers, and onions. Tear toasted ciabatta slices into giant croutons and add them to the salad along with the capers and basil. Pour over the vinaigrette and tuck in.

(Cook’s note: If you prefer to do this on your stove, fry the steak in a hot pan with olive oil. Slice or tear the ciabatta into big croutons, drizzle with olive oil, dust with parmesan and tumble onto a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake in a 200˚C oven until golden. Place the peppers in a shallow oven-proof dish and also roast them in the oven for about 20 minutes before popping into a plastic bag to sweat.)

Recipe concept & photography by Lizet Hartley.

Lizet Hartley is a freelance stills and reel food stylist, food photographer and recipe developer. In her spare time she – rather predictably – cooks. Get more of her recipes on her blog at http://www.melkkos-merlot.co.za