Israeli Salad

We are lightening our seder up this year with some fresh, Mediterranean dishes.  In preparation for our first seder tomorrow night, today I made a big Israeli salad.  It is traditional in Judaism to eat spring greens during the Seder – the fresh taste of the tomatoes and cucumbers in this salad married with the parsley and mint I threw in it make it a great dish to welcome the holiday and the season.  For a dressing, I whisked together olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and a bit of salt and pepper to taste.

This is a great dish to lighten up any meal and any mood (click here to read why olive oil and lemon lift your spirits).

As they say in Israel, Bete’Avon! (Bon Apetite!)

8 plum tomatoes

4 peeled cucumbers

2 green peppers

1/4 onion

1/4 cup chopped mint

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1 lemon

olive oil

salt and pepper

sumac powder

Chop the tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and onion.  Toss together in a bowl.  Add in the mint and parsley.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the juice from one lemon, 1/4 cup olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.  Drizzle the dressing on the salad and garnish with some extra parsley, mint leaves and sumac.