Joan Nathans Cooked Tomato And Pepper Salad Recipes

FATTOUSH (LEBANESE TOMATO AND PITA SALAD)

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Separate pita into 2 rounds, and bake on cookie sheet for about 5 minutes, or until very crisp but not browned.
• Put tomato, red onion, peppers, cucumber, radishes and scallions into large salad bowl. Add romaine or purslane and fresh mint, and sprinkle with sumac and dried mint. Toss.
• Whisk together garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, pomegranate syrup, and salt and pepper in a small bowl. Just before serving, give dressing another quick whisk and then pour it over vegetables and toss.
• Break pita into 1-inch pieces and toss with salad, just before taking salad to table. Taste, add seasonings if needed, and serve immediately.

TOMATO AND PEPPER SALAD

Steps:

• In a bowl, mix the tomatoes, cucumber, green bell pepper, and celery. Mix the vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper in a separate bowl, and pour over the salad. Gently toss to coat. Cover, and refrigerate at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

SALADE JUIVE (MOROCCAN CONFIT OF TOMATOES AND PEPPERS WITH CORIANDER)

Steps:

• Put the peppers on a hot grill, turning them as they get charred, or put them in a 450-degree oven for about 20 minutes. Using tongs transfer the peppers to a plastic bag and seal it. When they are cool, peel them, and remove the seeds and stems.
• If using fresh tomatoes, bring a pot of water to a boil. Plunge the tomatoes into the boiling water for a minute or two, remove with a slotted spoon, and cool in a bowl of ice water. When cool enough to handle, peel off and discard the skin.
• Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Roughly chop the fresh tomatoes or the canned, if using, and peppers, and add them with the wine, coriander seeds, cumin, salt to taste, tomato paste, and chives to the frying pan. Cook slowly, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, or until most of the liquid is absorbed.
• Stir in the hot pepper and the lemon juice and sprinkle with the fresh cilantro. Serve as a salad or appetizer.

JOAN NATHAN'S COOKED TOMATO AND PEPPER SALAD

Steps:

• 1. Halve the peppers lengthwise. Remove the seeds and ribs and place flat on a baking sheet, skin-side up. Place under the broiler and char the skins. Seal tightly in a plastic bag to steam for about 15 to 20 minutes. Slip off and discard the skins. Cut the peppers into 1-inch squares.
• 2. Heat 1/4 cup of the oil in a heavy skillet; add the peppers, tomatoes, garlic, sugar, paprika, salt and pepper. Simmer over a low flame, stirring occasionally, and mash the vegetables with a fork until the liquid begins to evaporate. Continue to cook until the salad thickens and has a saucelike consistency.
• 3. Serve at room temperature, drizzled with the remaining tablespoon of oil.

KIBBUTZ VEGETABLE SALAD

Steps:

• 1. Remove the pith and seeds from the peppers and dice them along with the tomatoes, onion, and cucumber. Toss together in a wooden or ceramic bowl.
• 2. In a separate small bowl, stir together the salt, pepper, lemon juice, and garlic. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Pour over the vegetables, mix, sprinkle with sumac or za'atar, and serve.
• •Sumac powder, the ground berry of a Turkish evergreen tree, is available at www.ethnicgrocer.com. This Arabic ingredient, which was adopted into Israeli cooking, has a sour, fruity flavor. •Za'atar, a spice mix made from wild oregano, sesame seeds, salt, and ground sumac, is ubiquitous in Middle Eastern cooking, often sprinkled on pita bread that's been drizzled with olive oil. Za'atar is available at www.penzeys.com.