Top | The Jew and the Carrot

Israeli Salad

(recipe, Leah Koenig)


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For the salad

Ingredients

  1. 3 to 4 medium-sized tomatoes
Dressing
  1. 2 crisp green peppers
  2. ½ cup red-wine vinegar
  3. 2 Persian cucumbers
  4. 3 Tbsp. lemon juice
  5. 1 medium-sized purple sweet onion
  6. 2 tsp. honey
For the dressing
  1. 1 tsp. za’atar (see Note)
  2. ½ cup red wine vinegar
  3. 2 tsp. salt
  4. 3 Tbsp. lemon juice
  5. Freshly ground black pepper
  6. 2 tsp. honey
  7. 1 cup olive oil
  8. 1 tsp. za’atar
Salad
  1. 2 tsp. salt
  2. 3 to 4 medium tomatoes
  3. Freshly ground black pepper
  4. 2 crisp green peppers
  5. 1 cup olive oil
  6. 2 Persian cucumbers
  7. 1 medium purple sweet onion

Steps

  1. Make the dressing: Combine all the ingredients except the oil; whisk to combine. Continue whisking while streaming in the olive oil until combined and slightly thickened. Pour into the bottom of a large glass or ceramic bowl,
  2. Make the salad: Halve the tomatoes and squeeze out and discard the seeds; chop the tomatoes well. De-seed the green peppers and chop them; do the same for the cucumbers (the seeds in some Persian cucumbers are small enough that you won’t need to de-seed them). Remove the skin from the red onion and chop it. Toss all the ingredients together in the bowl with the dressing.

Note

Za’atar is a blend of spices commonly used on Middle Eastern dishes. It’s kind of like a curry in the sense that it’s a mix of spices. It usually consists of thyme, oregano, marjoram (or hyssop), toasted sesame seeds, and salt. You can find it in many specialty food stores and order it online.