Ingredients
2 tbsp. peanut butter
1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
2 tbsp. orange juice
2 tbsp. pineapple juice
1/2 c. extra-virgin olive oil or coconut oil
3 oz. rice vermicelli, broken into large chunks
Kosher salt
2 c. cubed cornbread
1/2 head iceberg lettuce, roughly chopped
1 orange, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
Preparation
Step 1Make dressing: In a medium bowl, combine all dressing ingredients and whisk until smooth. Set aside.Step 2Fry rice noodles: In a small pot over medium heat, heat oil. Cooking in batches, fry vermicelli until crispy. Transfer to a plate and sprinkle with salt while hot.Step 3Toast bread: Transfer 3 tablespoons frying oil to a large skillet and place over medium heat. Add cornbread in a single layer and toast until golden on all sides.Step 4Make salad: In a large bowl, toss together lettuce, orange, cornbread, and peanut dressing until well coated. Top with fried vermicelli before serving.
What do I mean when I say “special”? When was the last time you saw crispy fried rice noodles topping a salad with huge chunks of golden cornbread? This panzanella is not like other panzanellas. The carb on carb play works here with the help of a simple peanut sauce drizzle and refreshing cuts of iceberg lettuce. Just in case you thought it wasn’t exciting enough, there’s also juicy orange segments strewn about too.
