FATTOUSH SALA, WHICH ORIGINATES IN SOUTHERN LEBANON, IS A BREAD SALAD MADE WITH LEFTOVER SCRAPS OF PITA, TOMATOES, CUCUMBERS, ONIONS AND WHATEVER ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO THROW IN THERE. WITH THE TEMPERATURE TOPPING 100º HERE (IN OCTOBER !), TUTTI FRUITI FARMS IS STILL SELLING THEIR WONDERFUL HEIRLOOMS, SO I'VE BEEN MAKING THE MOST OF THIS FADING HARVEST. I'VE ALSO BEEN EXPERIMENTING WITH SOME OF THE RECIPES FROM THE KISMET COOKBOOK. KISMET IS A FAVORITE OF OURS. SARA KRAMER AND SARA HYMANSON'S VEGETABLE-FORWARD, MIDDLE-EASTERN INSPIRED DISHES ARE BRIGHT, REFRESHING AND DELICIOUS. ONE OF KISMET'S STAPLES IS FETA MARINATED IN SPICE-STEEPED OLIVE OIL ENHANCES THE CHEESE WITH SUBTLE BUT COMPLEX FLAVORS. YOU CAN SUBSTITUTE REGULAR BULGARIAN OR FRENCH FETA, BUT IT'S WORTH MAKING THEIR CONCOCTION BECAUSE YOU CAN HAVE IT FOR BREAKFAST OR USE THE OIL AS I DID IN THE FATTOUSH SALAD. FEEL FREE TO AUGMENT OR SUBSTITUTE THE VEGETABLES. YOU MIGHT ADD FENNEL, PURSLANE, RIBBONS OF RAW ZUCCHINI, AND DILL OR OTHER HERBS INSTEAD OF BASIL AND MINT. I'D SUGGEST THAT YOU PREP THE VEGETABLES BUT WAIT TILL YOU'RE ABOUT TO SERVE BEFORE COMBINING THE INGREDIENTS TO INSURE THIS SALAD'S CRISPNESS AND CRUNCH.
HEAT OVEN TO 300.
TEAR THE PITA INTO 1-INCH PIECES. PLACE ON A BAKING SHEET IN THE OVEN AND BAKE 15 TO 25 MINUTES UNTIL THE PIECES ARE LIGHTLY BROWN.
PEEL THE ONION. SLICE LENGTHWISE IN HALF, THEN CROSSWISE INTO THIN HALF MOONS. PLACE IN THE BOTTOM OF THE SALAD BOWL. SALT LIGHTLY. ADD 1 TBSP OF VINEGAR.
SCRUB ANY GRIT FROM CUCUMBERS. SLICE LENGTHWISE, THEN CROSSWISE INTO 1/2-INCH PIECES. TOSS WITH SOME COURSE SALT IN A COLANDER AND ALLOW TO SIT FOR 20 MINUTES. RINSE OFF SALT. ROLL GENTLY IN A TEA TOWEL.
CUT THE TOMATOES INTO WEDGES AND SCATTER ON TOP OF THE ONIONS.
WHEN YOU'RE READY TO SERVE THE SALAD, ADD THE CUCUMBERS. A CUP OF THE FETA, ROUGHLY CRUMBLED AND ABOUT 4 TBSPS OF THE OIL FROM THE FETA JAR.
SCATTER WITH PITA CHIPS AND TORN HERBS.
TOSS GENTLY AND SERVE.
SERVES 4-6 DEPENDING ON THE QUANTITY OF TOMATOES AND CUCUMBERS.
HEAT OVEN TO 250º,
IN A SMALL SAUCEPAN COMBINE OLIVE OIL WITH BAY LEAVES, CORIANDER SEEDS, PEPPERCORNS, FENNEL SEEDS, GRATED GARLIC, AND THE GRATED ZEST FROM 2 LEMONS.
PLACE IN THE OVEN FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES OR UNTIL YOU CAN SMELL THE GARLIC. TURN OFF THE OVEN AND ALLOW TO COOL.
BREAK UP THE FETA INTO LARGE CHUNKS AND PLACE IN A GLASS JAR.
ONCE THE SUFFUSED OIL HAS COOLED, STRAIN OUT THE SOLIDS. POUR THE OIL INTO THE JAR WITH THE FETA.
ALLOW TO STEEP FOR AT LEAST 30 MINUTES BEFORE USING.
Ingredients
