Getting Dicey in Israel

Passport & Plate - Israeli Salad

Israel | Saturday, February 28, 2015 | 5 photos

Ingredients
(Makes about 4 servings)
2 Italian Squashes (or 2 cucumbers, if you prefer)
2 lbs. tomatoes (I like to use a mix of red, orange, and yellow for visual impact)
1 sweet yellow onion (or 5 green onions)
1/3 cup chopped garlic
Dash of Lemon Flavored Evoo Olive Oil (or make your own with 3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice and ½ cup olive oil)
Sprig of Mint
¼ cup Cilantro (in place of parsley)
Salt and pepper to taste

 

How to prepare this recipe
The perfect healthy side or snack, traditional Israeli salad is a mix of fresh diced Roma tomatoes, Persian cucumbers, parsley, onion, garlic, and mint with a splash of lemon juice and olive oil. I doctored mine up a little for personal preference so here’s my version, but other variations can include avocado, peppers or other vegetables you like for flair. As with anything, the fresher the ingredients you get, the better it’ll taste. I always recommend shopping at the local farmer’s market.

Directions
1. Dice all ingredients as finely as possible. Tiny cubes are what you want. Be sure to de-seed the tomatoes before adding them to the bowl.
2. Toss your vegetables in a big mixing bowl.
3. Drizzle with olive oil and mix to ensure everything’s evenly covered.
4. Season with salt and pepper, mint and cilantro, making sure to mix thoroughly.
5. Serve at room temperature or a little chilled with a glass of lemonade garnished with fresh mint leaves and watch as you’re magically transported to Israel!

 

The story behind this recipe
While I could’ve made any number of exotic dishes representing the 20+ countries I’ve been to - some oven-less cake emulating the celebration ascending Machu Picchu or a complex and meaty Nordic stew showcasing the contrasts of the land of Fire and Ice where I became a Certified Viking, but those were the hardest physical challenges I’ve ever endured. The destination that left the biggest imprint on my soul was Israel.

My proverbial homeland, what you see on TV related to the Middle East is death and destruction. Many people are scared to go there because of the few square miles replayed again and again on the nightly news. But for me, life starts at the edge of your comfort zone. Not only did I go there once to trace my roots, but I went back to teach English because it’s the only other country I’ve felt at home in.

With four distinct climate zones, you can go from breezy seashore to lush Mediterranean and hop from beach to mountains in a matter of hours. It’s nothing like what you’ve seen or picture it to look like. Even more prevalent than the breathtaking topography is the overwhelming sense of patriotism and pride. It’s inescapable. Having only been a country since the ‘50s, everyone who lives there is there by choice. And because of that, they’re fiercely loyal to the land.

While you may think of pita and hummus as traditional Middle Eastern cuisine, it’s the salad and fresh squeezed lemonade with nana (mint) picked from the garden that epitomizes it for me. Their own hands touching vegetation of a land they fought so hard to protect. I’m not a religious person, but they make food a spiritual experience by eating it so purely. A simple salad that my housemom so casually set out as an afternoon snack.

They might not read much into it other than a tide-me over until dinner, but I did. To me, that simple, raw salad represented the rebirth of a nation they’re appreciative of every single day. The flavors are straightforward, but what a punch it packs.