These three easy salad recipes will add a great Moroccan flavour to any meal.
Slata Jida
2 Tomatoes
½ Cucumber
½ Red Bell Pepper
½ Green Bell Pepper
4 Green Onions, preferably large & mature
½ ounce Flat-leaf parsley, washed & dried
1 Lemon
1 tbsp Olive Oil
2 pinches Salt & Pepper, to taste
1) Rinse all vegetables but don’t peel them. Seed the tomatoes and cucumber. Seed the bell peppers and remove the white membrane and stems. Chop off any though stalks on the green onions. Pluck the parsley leaves from the stems and mince the leaves.
2) Slice the green part of the green onions into rounds and the white part first into quarters, then into slices. Finely dice the other vegetables (into about ¼ inch/5mm cubes).
3) Zest and juice the lemon.
4) Sprinkle the lemon juice and oil onto the raw vegetables, add the zest, salt, pepper and parsley and mix well. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
Arugula with Olives
7 ounces Arugula
5 ounces Black Olives (you can use pre-pitted olives, but they are generally not as good)
4 Green Onions, preferably large and mature
2 Lemons
¼ cup Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper, to taste
1) Wash and dry the arugula. Pit the olives. Chop off and discard the green stalks from the onions and mince the bulbs.
2) Cut the ends off the lemons and peel them using a very sharp knife to expose the flesh.
3) Finely slice the lemons and then cut each slice into quarters or sixths, if possible.
4) Place everything in a salad bowl and add the olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper. Toss and serve.
Tabbouleh
8 ½ ounces Flat-leaf parsley
1 ½ ounces Mint
4 Lemons (for 2/3 cup, 150ml juice)
3 Green Onions, preferably large and mature
3 Tomatoes
2 tbsp Fine Bulgur
7 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tsp Salt
1) Wash the parsley and mint. Dry the mint and pluck the leaves from the stems. Gather the parsley into an organized bunch, and cut off and discard the stems. Juice the lemons.
2) Finely mince the parsley leaves. Stack the mint leaves one on top of the other, tightly roll them up and mince more coarsely than the parsley.
3) Finely slice the green onions. Seed the tomatoes and finely dice them.
4) Place the bulgur, tomatoes, and onions, herbs, lemon juice, olive oil and salt in a bowl. Mix thoroughly.
5) Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving.
Courtesy Massimo Capra www.massimocapra.com