Best dishes countdown #48: Panzanella salad from Burch

An affordable opulence.
Too many places miss the mark on Panzanella, a clever peasant’s recipe to elevate stale bread. It includes chunks of soaked bread and tomatoes, sometimes also onions and basil, dressed with olive oil and vinegar. In an effort to “deconstruct” or elevate this already perfect rustic dish, many chefs ruin it.
But at Burch, they’ve managed to strike the balance. The requisite bread and seductively ripe tomatoes become even more enticing with avocado and creamy Italian Mascarpone cheese. A robust and tangy vinaigrette ties it together along with a lake of fine olive oil. At $10, it’s an affordable opulence.
Burch Steak
1933 Colfax Ave. S., Minneapolis
612-843-1500
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