Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Israeli Salad



From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I was introduced to this salad in a tourist hotel that sat at the edge of a hutong in Bejing, China. A group of Israeli tourists was also staying at the hotel and most mornings I'd have breakfast with them. I'm a very early riser and would sneak to the dining room for a cup of coffee rather than disturb Bob with my restlessness. It bothered these kind folks to see me sitting by myself and they insisted I join them at their table. Breakfast in a Chinese tourist hotel is a multicultural affair that features food, usually served buffet style, that will appeal to all the groups who are guests of the hotel. My friends, although not worried about keeping kosher, had a separate dining area with an array of food that centered on salads and other foods our hosts thought more typical of an Israeli or Mediterranean diet. My companions would gather various vegetable elements from the buffet and bring them back to the table where they were tossed with chopsticks and dressed with fresh lemon and whatever oil was available. Though not accustomed to salad at six in the morning, I was charmed into sharing theirs for the duration of my stay. Although there is some chopping involved, the salad is very easy to assemble and it's perfect for a summer meal when tomatoes and cucumbers are abundant. If you haven't had this salad, I hope you will give it a try. While the salad is delicious, it does not keep well, so dress it just before serving and make no more than you will use in one sitting. Here's how it's made.

Israeli Salad...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 large green bell pepper
3 (6-to 8-ounce) tomatoes, halved, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 large English cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch dice
3/4 cup oil-cured black olives, pitted, quartered
2/3 cup chopped red onion
1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions:
1) Char pepper over gas flame or in broiler until blackened. Enclose in plastic bag 15 minutes. Peel, seed, and cut pepper into 1/3-inch cubes. Place in large bowl.
2) Add tomatoes, cucumber, olives, onion, and parsley. Whisk oil and lemon juice in small bowl to blend; season with salt and pepper, then mix into vegetables. Let vegetables marinate at least 15 minutes but not more than 3 hours before serving. Cover and chill. Yield: 6 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Mediterranean Orzo Salad - Andrea Meyers
Summer Tomato Salad with Goat Cheese, Basil Vinaigrette and Herbs - Kalyn's Kitchen
Strawberry Tomato Salad with Balsamic - Jungle Frog Cooking
Israeli Salad - Phoo-d
The Quintessential Salad - Nosh and Tell
Cherry Tomato Salad - Tastes Like Home

54 comments :

Mary | Deep South Dish said...

You have led such an interesting life Mary. If only I could see your memories through my eyes for a day!!

What a perfect summer salad.

J e l e n a said...

this is a salad that can be found on almost any table in my country during the summer months, exclude the olives since we are not a mediterranean country,

Monet said...

I must say...the stories you share (and the comments you leave on my blog) have brought me so much inspiration. Thank you for sharing such beautiful tales. This salad looks delicious...something I'm sure Ryan and I would enjoy.

Nisha said...

What a lovely post , I loved this salad .

Chele said...

Love the colours of this salad - so bright and summery!

Angie's Recipes said...

HA! Didn't know you have been Hutong Beijing! :-))
The salad looks very appetizing!

cocoa and coconut said...

Learning culinary differences through travel is just once of travellings many perks. Looks delicious Mary..perfect for summer.

Priya Suresh said...

Fantastic and refreshing salad..

Diane said...

Lovely salad. Yum. Have a good day. Diane

Renée said...

Mary,

This looks light and fresh. It's so fun to hear about your travels and it's evident from your posts that you get around! Thanks...

penny aka jeroxie said...

salad for breakfast? My mum does that too!

Nic said...

Great story, can't imagine having salad for breadfast but it looks wonderful. Reminds me of a Greek salad.
Gorgeous photos too!

Julie M. said...

What an experience! And this salad; it looks absolutely amazing.

Martha said...

We do something similar to this (without the olives) -- it is such a taste of summer!

Anonymous said...

Delish!

From the Kitchen said...

I often enjoy tomato toast for breakfast--why not this salad? It looks and sounds freshly delicious. And, with my kitchen torn apart, salads are even more necessary at the moment.

Best,
Bonnie

Simply Life said...

oh that salad looks great!

Kalyn Denny said...

What a fun story, because I also noticed how multicultural the hotel breakfasts were in Beijing when I was there. I love this type of salad, especially the addition of parsley. I've seen it called many different names and of course the variations are endless!

Unknown said...

The salad looks and sounds fantastic. I love that you are always sharing foods (and stories) from your travels. It almost makes me feel like I was right there with you!

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

I love hearing your stories Mary. Such an interesting salad that transcends different cultures and cuisines.

Weight Loss Tips said...

Nice salad, this will be a treat to try, something from the ordinary that we always seem to eat. Thanks for sharing.

Ana Powell said...

Lovely story.
Another so easy to put together delicious salad.
Wishing you a great week ♥

scrambledhenfruit said...

I love reading the background stories of your dishes, Mary! This salad looks delicious, though I'd probably serve it for lunch and not breakfast (although I did just eat a tomato sandwich for mine this morning). Thanks for sharing your adventures.

StephenC said...

A fun story. Toss in some Israeli couscous and I'll be right there!

Ginny Hartzler said...

What a fascinating story behind this recipe! It looks like you travel a lot. This looks delicious, and no cooking breakfast at all, you can cut everything up the day before, and mix them all at the last minute.

DailyChef said...

Awesome that you get introduced to this in China! This salad looks really good.

Sushma Mallya said...

love the colours in it..looks fresh and so yum

Joanne said...

An Israeli salad recipe from China...who'd have thunk it! It looks fantastic though, filled with tons of flavor!

Unknown said...

What a nice story to share. Kindness like this is what makes the world go round. This salad looks delicious! Thanks again Mary.

The Blonde Duck said...

That sounds like my idea of a perfect salad! I love Mediterranean food!

Jen_from_NJ said...

What a lovely story to go with a lovely refreshing salad. Thank you Mary!

PeggyR said...

That sounds delicious! I finally went grocery shopping today after not going for a month. You should have seen the bill!

Adelina said...

a world traveler and food connoisseur you are,Mary! Just reading trough your stories sometimes makes me hungry...and usual, your shots are great!

RamblingTart said...

I love your story, Mary! :-) What a fun way to start each morning. I'm so glad they reached out to you and made you feel a part of things. :-)

Bakericious said...

the salad is so colorful, lovely

The Words Crafter said...

I love reading the histories and travel stories that you post with each recipe. I agree with the others, you live a fascinating life.

The only thing I don't have on hand are the black olives. I will be putting together this salad this weekend. I adore salads! Thank you!

Chats the Comfy Cook said...

I make this without the olives. It is a refreshing salad.

Have you traveled a great deal? If so, what stories, you must have.

Please stop by:
http://sweetsav.blogspot.com/2010/07/awards.html

Katerina said...

This salad is indeed very Mediterranean. I love it.

Sook said...

What a refreshing salad recipe! Love all the ingredients! Will have to try it soon!

Faith said...

This is such a pretty salad! I love the olives in there for a little salty bite. I bet a little feta would be delicious too.

Annie said...

Mary very interesting the story and the combination in this salad is delicious.
Blessings to you

Nicole@The Dirty Oven via twitter @ovenloving said...

What a great post. I love the stories that you share. Thank you for the kind words you have passed on to me. You do a great job!

Allie and Pattie said...

How interesting to see this as Israeli! My Nonna made summer salads such as this and called them simply chopped salads- but not for breakfast!.My family adores this
xoxo Pattie

Baking is my Zen...sweet nibbles for the soul said...

Enjoyed reading the story. This looks wonderful.

Carmen

Unknown said...

Great story and delicious salad, I agree this type of salad is best eaten when it's fresh. I love Mediterranean ingredients and they are so healthy, not everything that is good for you tastes bad, who started that rumor?

Betsy said...

I am going to make the Israeli Salad, perfect summer salad for these hot summer days. I especially like black olives Thank you for visiting my blog, and your kind comments are much appreciated.
Betsy

A SPICY PERSPECTIVE said...

This is my kind of salad! Chunky and bright!

The Cilantropist said...

I have had this type of salad before and it is definitely fresh and delicious!

Amalia said...

I made it and it is delicious. Here it is http://amalia-mylife.blogspot.com/2010/07/salata-israeliana.html
Thank you and kisses from Cluj!

Anna said...

Ciao Mary! this salad is just what I need for this hot summer. It looks so colorful! Thanks a lot for your comments on my blog. It's a pleasure to have followers like you and come to your blog and read your posts. Your recipes look always so healthy and yummy!
A presto, Anna

Eat. Laugh. Run. said...

Everything that I love is in this salad, it's a must try! Lovely blog as well :)

Gloria Baker said...

Dear Mary, absolutely delicious and yummy salad, look nice, xx gloria

FOODESSA said...

I enjoy these types of salads very much...as long as it's served with a great crusty bread ;O)

Flavourful wishes,
Claudia

Rita said...

Fantastic Salad; I have to try this one.Love the stories you share with us; thank you.
Rita

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