Persian Cucumber & Tomato Salad with Preserved Lemon Recipe

Recipe By: Romney Steele

 

“In this cucumber and tomato salad recipe, preserved lemon adds a tangy, salty bite. Serve this healthy salad as an accompaniment to dishes like grilled lamb or chicken or as a side on a bed of finely julienned purple kale, lightly dressed with more olive oil and lemon juice. Look for preserved lemons at specialty-foods stores. Or, to make your own, see our Preserved Lemons recipe on eatingwell.com.”

Ingredients

• • 3 cups diced unpeeled small cucumbers, preferably Persian (see Tip) or “mini”
  • 1½ cups assorted cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
  • ¼ cup finely chopped white onion
  • 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh mint
• • 2 teaspoons minced preserved lemon or 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • Freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions

• 1 Combine cucumbers, tomatoes, onion, parsley, mint, preserved lemon (or zest), lemon juice and salt in a medium bowl. Let stand for at least 10 minutes (and up to 2 hours) for the flavors to meld.
• 2 Add oil and toss to coat. Season with pepper.

• Make Ahead Tip: Let stand at room temperature for up to 2 hours.
• Persian cucumbers are nearly seedless and are thin-skinned enough to be served unpeeled. They're usually 5 to 6 inches long and can be used interchangeably with the similar but larger English cucumber.