Israeli Salad
Israeli salad is made from finely diced tomato, onion and cucumber. It’s considered a national dish and is a key part of a traditional Israeli breakfast. It can also include leafy greens, peppers and parsley, but the key is using very fresh vegetables and chopping them as finely as possible. The ability to chop the tomatoes and cucumbers into the finest, most perfect dice is considered a mark of status among many kibbutz cooks. The salad is dressed with either fresh lemon juice or olive oil, or both. Za'atar and yogurt are also common dressings for breakfast, while sumac and tahini are used later in the day.
In restaurants and cafes this salad is served as an independent side dish, as an accompaniment to main dishes or stuffed into pita with falafel or shawarma. Before Western-style breakfast cereals became popular it was the traditional Israel breakfast and it’s still a standard feature at buffet breakfasts at Israeli hotels, as well as in many homes.
In the picture I have deconstructed it, and added a few olives and fresh rocket leaves. These are not at all traditional but I was experimenting with the taste of the different ingredients, rather than concentrating on the perfection of the way they should be cut.
The picture below shows spring onions (or scallions). I just couldn’t resist the length of them; so different from the short-cut packs we buy at home.
