Often called the glory of Lebanese salads and a favorite throughout the Middle East Fattoush is a bread salad, which can be served as a meal itself.
4 rounds, 6-inches across pita bread (whole wheat is good), toasted and torn into bite-sized pieces
1 plump cucumber, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 or 3 large tomatoes, chopped
4 scallions (green onions), cut into 1/4-inch lengths
1 green bell pepper, pith and seeds removed, cut into 1/4-inch dice
3/4 to 1 medium head of romaine lettuce chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 cup flat parsley stems removed, minced
1 cup fresh spearmint, stems removed, minced
1 cup fresh cilantro, stems removed, minced
Place pitas onto a baking sheet and toast for about 10 minutes at 300 degrees F. Set aside to cool. Add vegetables (above) to a large bowl, tossing gently to mix. Set aside. In a small bowl combine the follow:
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground sumac (available at Middle Eastern shops) and 1 to 2 cloves finely minced garlic. Stir well and add 1/2 cup olive oil and the juice of 1 lemon; stir well. Taste to adjust seasonings.
Drizzle dressing mixture over salad, turning to coat vegetables. Toss toasted bread into salad, turning to mix again. Serve immediately. Make 6 to 8 servings.
Spicy Lime Sauce This Cambodian sauce is used as a dipping sauce or as a salad dressing and comes from Southeast Asian Cooking from The California Culinary Academy (Ortho, San Francisoco, 1987).
2 cloves garlic, peeled and cut into4 segments each
1 or 2 fresh red chiles, stems, pith and seeds removed (available in southeast Asian grocery stores)
1/2 cup water2 teaspoons fish sauce or to taste (available at Asian grocers)*
3 tablespoons sugar
1 carrot, shredded
*Fish sauce is an integral part of Southeast Asian cuisine but an acquired taste so go lightly at first.
Bruce Cost in his famous Bruce Cost's Asian Ingredients (William Morrow, NY, 1988) presents Warm Ground Chicken Salad with Mint which uses both white and dark chicken meat.
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken, white and dark meat evenly
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 stalk lemon grass, finely minced (peel away out, dry stalks, use the more tender
center stalks; out stalks can be used to flavor broths)
4 small fresh, red chiles, pith and stems removed (use seeds for added heat)
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons fish sauce (or less depending upon your taste)
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon coarsely ground dried red chile pepper
1 cup peanut oil
15 20 mint leaves, stems removed, cut into shreds
lettuce leaves, preferable Boston Butter lettuce
Chop the chicken by hand until it is fine; place into a small bowl and stir in egg white, cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and sesame oil. Mix well and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Using a separate bowl combine lemon grass mince, fresh red chiles, lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, the other 1/4 teaspoon salt and coarsely ground dried chile pepper. Mix well and set aside.
Heat 1 cup peanut oil in a wok or deep pan until hot (do not allow oil to smoke however). Add chicken and stir well to separate pieces. Cook while stirring continuously for about two minutes until chicken turns opaque.
Drain chicken of the cooking oil and toss it with seasoning sauce; add the mint leaves. Serve mixture in lettuce cups Makes about 4 servings.[[In-content Ad]]
