Grilled Cuban Bread Salad
4 slices Cuban bread or French bread (cut 1/2-thick)
Olive oil
1/4 cup mixed chopped herbs (basil, parsley, thyme)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 vine-ripened tomato, cut into 4 slices
1/2 cup Spanish Tetilla cheese or Muenster or Jack
4 cups mesclun greens
4 hard cooked eggs, peeled and quartered
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1 heaping teaspoon finely grated orange zest
3/4 cup olive oil
1 small shallot, finely chopped
Pinch of cumin
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions:
Preheat grill. Brush both sides of bread with olive oil and grill on first side until lightly golden brown. Turn over, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the mixed herbs over each slice of bread. Meanwhile brush each tomato slice with oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Grill for 1 minute on each side and immediately place 1 slice of tomato on top of each slice of herb-topped bread. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the cheese over the tomato, close the lid and grill until the cheese begins to melt. Toss mesclun in a few tablespoons of the vinaigrette and divide among 4 plates. Top each salad with a slice of the grilled bread and drizzle with the vinaigrette. Garnish with hard cooked eggs.
Whisk all ingredients together and season with salt and pepper to taste.
