Yay, summer is finally here in Oklahoma! Hope we are done with the tornadoes for a while. Going to be in the 90’s all week. So time for summer food. I love to share my passions on Happy First, and one of them is cooking, so I like to share my recipes. As I have mentioned before, my husband is 1/2 Lebanese so we have some incredible cooks in his family. Check out these recipes I have already shared, Lebanese Salad Dressing and Lebanese Meat and Green Bean Stew.
This recipe has been a hit at our 4th of July parties. It really is quite simple, just a lot of chopping and finding a couple of key ingredients. We use the flat or paper bread, also called Syrian bread or Marook. Our relatives get it from a place in Oklahoma City called Mediterranean Imports, at 56th & North May, but I just found out from the owner at Jerusalem Imports at 51st and Sheridan in Tulsa that he carries it too. (You can get it and freeze it til ready to use). If you can’t find that , a pita type bread will do, just will be a bit thicker. Another ingredient that you will have to go to a mediterranean store is the spice called Zartar. I get it at Jerusalem Market.
Ingredients-
2 loaves flat bread
1 cucumber, peeled, diced
4 large tomatoes
1 large onion
1 Tbsp. crushed dry mint or 1 bunch green mint (I prefer the fresh)
Dressing-
2/3 cups lemon juice (I do 2 lemons)
1/2 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
4-6 Tbsp. Zartar
Toast bread in slow oven until crisp. Break bread in pieces about 1 inch square into a large salad bowl. Combine diced cucumbers (first cut the cucumber in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon, then dice), cut up tomatoes, chopped onions, chopped mint with salt and pepper and zartar. Add all of this to the bread, then add oil and lemon juice and mix well. This will serve 8. If we have a huge party I double or triple this recipe. Can refrigerate and serve the next day-I think it is even better the next day and probably would last a week but everyone eats it too fast!