Whole Foods Germantown makes Late Summer Panzanella Salad with Smoked Mozzarella!

This week, you can get a sneak peek at the highly anticipated new Whole Foods Market in Germantown.

Brianna Rogers is Live at 9 with a recipe to get you excited about the grand opening.

• Whole Foods – Germantown
• Sneak Peek Tours
• August 14 & 15
• 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• 7825 Poplar

Late summer panzanella salad with smoked mozzarella (Serves four to six)

• 6 cups bite-size pieces of day-old, crusty peasant-style bread
• 1/3 cup plus ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• Ground black pepper to taste
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Pinch of sugar, or to taste
• 1 pint halved cherry tomatoes or 2 large vine-ripe tomatoes in bite-size chunks
• ½ cup red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 cucumber or 4 small pickling cucumbers in bite-size pieces
• 1 green bell pepper, small dice
• 3 ounces smoked mozzarella, bite-size pieces
• ¼ cup basil, chiffonade

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a large bowl, toss bread, 1/3 cup of the olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic.
3. Lay bread out on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.
4. Remove bread from the oven and cool slightly.
5. Whisk together the remaining ¼ cup of oil, vinegar, mustard and sugar.
6. Set aside.
7. In a large bowl, stir together the bread, tomatoes, onions, cucumber, bell pepper and mozzarella until the salad is combined.
8. Stir in the vinaigrette and basil.
9. Allow the salad to sit for at least 20 minutes so that the bread can begin to absorb the dressing and the flavors can blend (depending on how crisp or soft you like your bread), and serve.
10. Adjust seasoning with additional salt or cracked black pepper, if desired.