Fattoush Salad

I first made this salad 6 years ago and have enjoyed it many times since then…I never tire of its fresh, clean taste.  Fattoush comes from the Levantine cuisine and makes wonderful use of stale or leftover pita bread.   Full of nutrients and vitamins – a perfect salad to bring to a family function, picnic or to help celebrate Independence Day!

Serves 4 to 6
Romaine lettuce hearts, washed and cut into 1″ strips
225g (8oz.) cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 cucumber, deseeded and cut into cubes
4 spring onions, thinly sliced
1 bunch fresh mint, washed and roughly chopped
1 bunch fresh cilantro (coriander), washed and roughly chopped
3 Pita breads

Dressing:
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon sumac (optional)
1/4 cup chopped Kalamata olives (optional)
feta cheese, crumbled (optional)

Preheat the grill to high and toast the pita breads until crisp. Let cool and break into bite-size pieces. Place all the vegetables and chopped herbs in a bowl and mix well. In a small container with a lid, add all the dressing ingredients and shake well. Toss in the crisp pita breads and pour the dressing over the salad and mix well.  Sprinkle with dukkah and serve immediately or let sit to allow flavors to develop.

The Culinary Chase’s Note:  If you can’t find romaine hearts then trim the romaine leaves such that you end up with crunchy bits but not too much of a soft leaf – this salad needs that crunch!  The lemony dressing brings out all the essence of the herbs…so good!  Enjoy!

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