What I’m Reading
Aug
20
Whip It Up #7: Fattoush Salad
Filed Under Whip It Up Challenge
Fun fact I bet you didn’t know about me: I am a quarter Lebanese. Yes, my maternal grandfather was born in Lebanon, and if the rumors are true I still have family over there, though I’ve never met them. Sadly, my grandfather passed away while I was in college and he was the last real tie we had with the Old Country. I don’t speak Arabic except for a few choice slurs, I don’t have a perma-tan like most of my mother’s side of the family, and I have very few ties with the Middle East save for my undying love of their cuisine.
Anyway, I don’t always share the fact that I am of partially Arab descent because let’s face it: much of the world are still bigots when it comes to the Middle East. I wouldn’t deny my heritage if someone asked, nor do I feel ashamed of it in any way, but I don’t necessarily volunteer the information to just anyone. Mostly, I don’t feel any connection with it at all until I get into the kitchen. I swear, I could have mint and lemon in just about every dish.
So for this week’s Whip It Up salad theme I knew I wanted to make something Lebanese. I thought at first about making grapeleaves but the very idea of rolling all those little things after making the potstickers last week made me want to stab my eyes out with chopsticks. Then I thought about making tabouleh, but I am far too busy to spend five hours chopping parsley. Fattoush it is. Which, whatever; fattoush is my favorite anyway.
I started off with the leftover syrian (pita) bread that I had in the fridge and sprayed it with olive oil. I sprinkled the bread with a spice called zatar, or sumac, which you can find in most specialty spice stores and certainly any Middle Eastern market.
Chris calls zatar “the dirt spice”. I can’t really fault him that one; it looks like topsoil with some sesame seeds and certainly tastes earthy. But it is the key to making this salad spectacular. He also likes to call this salad “Fuh-douche”, so make of his humor what you will.
Throw the syrian bread in the toaster over until browned and crunchy, remove and let cool.
Next I chopped up one head of romaine, half of an English cucumber, three or four green onions, and a whole bunch of heirloom tomatoes that I got at the farmer’s market.
Once the salad was all chopped up I left it in the bowl with some kosher salt until Chris got home.
While I was waiting I made the dressing- so simple. Half of a lemon, some olive oil, one teaspoon of sumac, salt and pepper. Once Chris got home I poured the dressing over the salad and crunched the zatar bread chips into quarter-sized pieces, mixing everything thoroughly.
I ate mine straight up out of a bowl and Chris had his as a wrap. Either way, the salad was amazing- fresh, light, crisp, and delicious.
Was the recipe easy to follow?
Super easy.
Did the dish taste good?
So, so great.
Would you make it again?
I would make this every day if I could get to the farmer’s market. It’s that good.
Fattoush or Peasant Salad (Adapted from my mother’s recipe, but I also used this recipe for reference.)
2 cups shredded lettuce (romaine and/or iceberg)
1 large or 2 small cucumbers, diced small
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup chopped parsley, leaves only, no stems
1/4 cup chopped mint leaves, no stems
1 bunch green onions, finely sliced
1/2 teaspoon sumac
2 pieces of pita bread toasted until golden brown, broken into pieces the size of a quarter
Dressing
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
2 to 4 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon salt
Pinch of pepper
In a small bowl mix all dressing ingredients well.
Put all salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss with 1/2 to 1 cup dressing. Serve immediately.
Comments
19 Responses to “Whip It Up #7: Fattoush Salad”
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I have a sudden craving for syrian bread for some reason.
Omg I’m pretty sure I had pita with “dirt spice” on it when I was in Israel a few months ago and it was amaaaaazing. I love Middle Eastern food like whoa and I really want some of that fattoush right now.
So awesome. I have never had Lebanese food, and now I feel the need to get educated!
Wow, that looks so freakin’ awesome
I was going to say the same thing as Arielle! Definitely had something just like that in Israel, and it was DELICIOUS. Yours looks delicious too!!
And now? I know what the hell fattous is. Thanks NPW!
That looks incredible! I don’t cook and I only make salads if they come prepackaged. Will you come cook for me? Pretty please? With zatar on top?
Good job mom!!!!!!!!! Expert cooker…….you’re cooking at the beach. Come early and bring ingredients.
You ommitted peppers…I love the peppers! FINE if you hate them!
Lebanese food is one of my absolute favorites. It’s right up there with sushi. This looks delicious!
Wow! That looks fantastic!
Wow.
That looks amazing and perfect for a summer dinner.
YUM!
That looks very good! Perhaps you should call it “freedom fattoush” just to avoid anyone thinking that you’re on the side with the terrorists. I kid!
You yet again have me thinking that I will be over in 4 hours to sample. If only this cold I’m rocking right now would allow me to taste anything. Chris was right, I should have used the hand sanitizer BEFORE eating the funnel cake.
I DID know you were part Lebanese! I did not know what Fattoush is, however. Nor did I know pita bread is called Syrian bread. You’re just full of culinary cultural knowledge for me today!
Fattoush Salad! So fancy! Some people doing the Whip It Up challenge are really going all out (like YOURSELF).
I feel like I should probably be making more of an effort, since most of the stuff I’ve made has been pretty easy. At least I’m attempting to make an effort, though!!
About the only thing on there that I could eat without reacting in horror (tomatoes) or becoming ill due to food allergies (onions, lettuce) would be the Syrian bread. And I am seriously craving it now. Although the dressing sounds incredibly wonderful. May have to try that.
I’m going to try and duplicate a recipe from a local restaurant tonight. Maybe I should take pictures…I love it when you do the whip it up challenges!
That looks so yummy and easy. Maybe even I could make that without screwing it up.
I think I have a tiny little bit of Lebanese in me–concentrated in my tastebuds. I love their food! I’m with you–lemon and mint all around.
Wow, that looks delicious!
Your photos are beautiful, too!!