Middle Eastern Chopped Salad with Charmoula Dressing
Chopped salads are regularly eaten in North Africa and the Middle East. This salad contrasts the sweetness of cherry tomatoes with the crunchiness of celery (as well as bell peppers, hot chili, and capers), permeated with an exciting, complex Charmoula Vinaigrette. Charmoula is a North African paste that can be red or green and is used as a sauce, marinade, dip, or condiment with vegetables, fish, or meat. This green Charmoula Vinaigrette combines the traditional green Charmoula flavors of lemon, garlic, cumin, paprika, cayenne, preserved lemon, parsley, and cilantro with red onion, olive oil, and vinegar to make a pickly, garlicky, spicy vinaigrette. The vinaigrette should be made in advance to marinate the red onions, and the salad should be dressed ahead of time so that its flavors have time to develop.
SERVES 8–10 AS A SIDE
Ingredients
1½ pints (24 oz.) cherry tomatoes, multi-colored
1 pound Persian cucumbers, diced
3 celery stalks, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 tablespoons salt-packed capers
Pomegranate seeds, rinsed, from ¼–½ of a pomegranate
½ small hot chili pepper, minced (optional)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3+ tablespoons chopped or whole fresh mint, flat-leaf parsley, and/or cilantro (optional)
Charmoula Vinaigrette
MAKES 2 CUPS
Zest of 1 lemon and ¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup red wine vinegar
6 cloves garlic, minced finely
¼ medium red onion, minced
2 teaspoons sweet paprika or pimentón duce (smoked paprika)
2 teaspoons cumin, toasted, ground
¼ teaspoon cayenne, or more to taste
3–4 tablespoons preserved lemon, diced
¼ cup chopped fresh flat parsley
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more if needed
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
Steps
Slice the tomatoes in half: cherry tomatoes vertically through the stem, grape tomatoes diagonally from near the bottom of one side to near the top of the other side.
Make Charmoula Vinaigrette. Add lemon zest and juice, vinegar, garlic, red onion, paprika, cumin, cayenne, preserved lemon, parsley, cilantro, olive oil, and salt and pepper in a dressing bottle, seal cover, and shake. If using a mixing bowl, add the ingredients and whisk. Make at least 1 hour before adding to the salad to allow the red onions to marinate. Also can be made a day in advance, refrigerated, and brought to room temperature before using.
Combine all the salad ingredients in a salad bowl. Add 1 cup of Charmoula Vinaigrette, toss, and let sit for 1 hour at room temperature so the flavors can mingle.
Taste before serving. If the dressing has become too diluted from the tomato liquid, add more Charmoula Vinaigrette. Garnish and toss with the mint, parsley, and/or cilantro just before serving.
Notes
Tomato options: regular tomatoes can be used. However, when the salad is dressed and sits, the tomato liquid may be greater than with cherry tomatoes and require dressing readjustment before serving.
Save your unused Charmoula Vinaigrette for your next salad.
