Cook the Book: Grilled Tomato Bread Salad

Ingredients

• 4 cups bread french cubed (1-inch cubes)
• 2  cucumber peeled halved lengthwise seeded cut into 1-inch pieces ( 2 cups)
• 0.5 cup basil fresh
• 6 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin extra-virgin
• 8  plum tomatoes ripe
• 3  onion red cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 
• 6 servings pepper black freshly ground to taste
• 1 teaspoon thyme leaves dried

Equipment

• bowl
• grill
• skewers
• serrated knife
• metal skewers

Directions

1. Preheat a barbecue grill to high.
2. Place the bread cubes in a bowl and drizzle 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over them.
3. Sprinkle with the thyme, add salt and pepper to taste, and toss well. Thread the bread on six skewers, leaving some space between the cubes. Set the skewers aside
4. Brush 1 tablespoon of the remaining olive oil over both sides of the onion slices, and grill the onions directly on the grill grate until they have some light grill marks and are softened and have light grill marks, about 5 minutes total. Set the onion slices aside.
5. Place 4 plum tomatoes on each of two metal skewers and brush them lightly with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Grill, turning the skewers, until the tomatoes have softened and have light grill marks, about 5 minutes total. Slide the tomatoes off the skewers onto a plate and set it aside.
6. Grill the skewered bread cubes until they are nicely toasted, about 1 1/2 minutes per side (grill on all four sides). Slide the bread cubes into a separate bowl.
7. Cut the reserved grilled onion slices into quarters and add them to the bread.
8. Using a serrated knife, cut the grilled tomatoes into quarters and add them to the bread.
9. Add the cucumbers and the basil.
10. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over the vegetables, adding more if desired, and then drizzle the vinegar over them. Toss well. Taste, and adjust the seasonings if needed.
11. Serve immediately.