This week at Cook the Book Fridays (CtBF), the selected recipe from David Lebovitz's cookbook, My Paris Kitchen, is Fattoush, a salad dish. I have made Fattoush before, a recipe from Nigella Lawson which I've posted here, and I really love it! So I was pretty excited to try DL's version!
Fattoush is a Middle Eastern salad and it uses the lovely spice Sumac. Traditionally, toasted pita breads is used in the salad, but I do not have any, and have used two pieces of wholemeal tortilla which I've toasted till crispy. The salad dressing is a mixture of lemon juice, salt, garlic, mustard and olive oil. Just before serving, toss the veggies with the dressing ; lettuce leaves, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, parsley, mint leaves and radishes, with some sumac and black pepper. I have omitted the radishes as I did not have any. Toss in the broken pieces of toasted pita (tortilla).
This is a very nice salad. I can't help comparing DL's Fattoush with NL's. And I prefer Nigella's version. If this is just another salad, then this is quite good actually, but since this is Fattoush, and since I have made Nigella's Fattoush, I prefer Nigella's simpler version without the mustard and the salad leaves. I like mustard but I think that a Fattoush is better without it. With the mustard, it is just like any other salad, at least for me!
We had this salad with Chicken Lady Chicken, (which is our next assignment in two weeks' time, so will be sharing that later), and it was a delicious meal.
Please do stop by CtBF to see the other lovely ladies take on this salad.
Joyce, you have just reminded me that I still have Sumac (somewhere) in the fridge! I must try this salad then, without mustard as you recommended :)
ReplyDeleteWe loved this salad as well and had it with our next assignment. We really liked sumac after we were introduced toit only a year ago or so. Your salad looks very nice.
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ReplyDeleteHello! What good but this fresh and very inviting dish !! truly gourmet !! Kiss , Mirta
Your salad looks very bright, I too left out the radishes- not a favorite here!
ReplyDeleteYour fattoush looks delicious. This was very similar to what my grandmother used to make. I also made the Chicken Lady Chicken to serve with mine…loved it!
ReplyDeleteThe DL and NL comparisons are informative. I always like to compare to see how the dish can be improved. I served this salad with chicken too. It's a delicious meal as well!
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a very refreshing salad, Joyce. I'm not sure if I have ever had Fattoush, per se, but I have had many Middle Eastern salads prepared for me and like you say, some include mustard and others do not. I have no preference when it comes to the mustard, lol...
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for sharing, Joyce...
I was interested in your comparison to Nigella's recipe. Thought I loved the dressing in David's version, I wasn't wild about the greens. I was starting to think that my was an anomaly. I'm glad to know Nigella thinks the same as me.
ReplyDeleteI will look at NL's Fattoush after I made this comment. It's always fun to compare chefs/cooks dueling recipes, so to speak. Ottolenghi makes a Baby spinach salad with dates and almonds which Eileen turned me on to years ago. It also uses sumac and pita bread pieces so I knew I would like this salad as well. Glad you liked the Chicken Lady Chicken as it's encouraged me to make it this week-end.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to have to look up Nigella's version, though I really, really like this one. I used za'atar in place of the sumac, but otherwise followed the recipe. I like your substitution - toasted tortillas are a great choice for this salad.
ReplyDeleteSimple and very delicious..a perfect summer salad.
ReplyDeleteOooh, interesting! I'll have to check out Nigella's version. Joyce, I love how you just worked with what you had--the tortillas look great and the radishes weren't totally necessary to the salad!
ReplyDeleteThis was such a refreshing salad and one that I will make again.
ReplyDeleteA very nice serving of the fattoush, looking forward to the chicken reveal date!
ReplyDeleteI made the chicken too! But may make it again. Your salad looks great. I hadn't ever made the salad before - so interesting about NL's version. Had no idea what I was supposed to be making!
ReplyDeleteI didn'the use any pita either. I made it but forgot to add it, but did not miss it at all.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe you've made fattoush twice; I had never heard of it before. You have quite the worldly palate!
ReplyDeleteI have never tried this although its mamę sounds familiar😀
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