Jerusalem Salad

These colorful fresh ingredients and bright flavors are precisely what makes Jerusalem Salad so special.

This chopped salad is packed with simple, healthy ingredients that are readily available year-round.

I don’t think I’ve told you yet, but after March Meatball Madness I’ve silently, out of sheer desperation, declared April as salad month (not to outdo National Grilled Cheese Month).

Local Ingredients

I’ve come to learn a bit about locally sourced regional ingredients and how they influence dishes.

Nothing earth shattering, just a simple appreciation of the commonalities.

I’ve made six seven middle eastern dishes this week and have gone through 9 lemons, 2 heads of garlic, 3 bunches of fresh parsley, 2 bunches of fresh cilantro, and I’ve harvested almost all of my mammoth mint plant….oh and a gallon of olive oil.

Ok maybe not a gallon but enough to bathe a small child in.

Each dish I’ve prepared had it’s own flavor profile, yet the one element that was the same throughout was fresh herbs.

You know how I feel about fresh herbs and how they can elevate a dish.

For most of my life I underestimated fresh parsley. It just couldn’t keep up with it’s sexy cousins sage, rosemary and thyme. I viewed parsley as an obligatory garnish not worthy of consuming.

Boy was I wrong.

It actually adds flavor, is packed with nutrients and vitamins, is rich in antioxidants, and is a natural breath freshener.

Oh and it’s not a bad garnish either with it’s bright emerald coloring. Here’s an article you might enjoy that I wrote about Fresh Herbs and how to incorporate them into your cooking.

Back to Jerusalem Salad, also know as Israeli Salad, there’s a reason it’s the most well-known Eastern Mediterranean dish.

It’s wonderful served as a side dish, but you can load it into pita bread and top it with fresh made falafel. I’m hungry just thinking about it.

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All my best,
xo Libby