Let’s begin this post with the obligatory discussion of the weather.
It hit 55 degrees this week. It’s finally spring and that, in and of itself, is worth celebrating. But instead of doing the rational thing (asparagus! rhubarb!), I skipped a season and went straight to summer. Call me optimistic.
The memory of summer produce came last week, when during our weekly Wednesday night dinners, a friend of ours said screw it, and made a summer green bean and tomato salad. It may have been only 20 degrees outside that day, but I think we could all agree that enough is enough. Winter was over.
I decided to follow suit with this salad.
The recipe is one of Yotam Ottelenghi’s and it makes me realize how badly I need to start my herb garden. In addition to heirloom cherry tomatoes, red onion, and lemon, the salad is filled with sage, parsley, and mint. So much delicious flavor. So many herbs to buy from the grocery store.
The dressing contains just a taste of what I consider to be one of Ottelenghi’s signature flavors: pomegranate molasses. You can find pomegranate molasses at most grocery stores with an ethnic ingredient section or at a Middle Eastern market.
This may be just a salad, but it represents so much more. No winter coats. No boots. Just sunglasses and breeze.
- 1 lemon, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1½ lb mixed heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ small red onion, sliced thin
- ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- ¼ cup mint, chopped
- ¼ cup spinach
- Preheat oven to 325F.
- Bring a small pot of water to boil. Add lemon slices and boil for 2 minutes to reduce bitterness. Drain and pat dry.
- Toss lemons with sage, sugar, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Place lemon slices, single layer, on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, until lemons are no longer wet and start to slightly brown. Let cool.
- In a large bowl, whisk together pomegranate molasses, allspice, and remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add cooled lemons, tomatoes, onion, parsley, mint, and spinach to bowl. Toss salad to coat.
Recipe adapted from August 2014 issue of Bon Appetit.
This is my favorite TYPE of salad! It’s gorgeous and looks delicious! Pomegranite molasses? YUM!
writes Girl and the KitchenMy favorite type too. Thank you as always, Mila!
writes VickyThis salad looks so amazing! Love me some Ottolenghi. I am planning on starting my first herb garden this year, I know I want cilantro and parsley, but this recipe may have convinced me to add mint to the list!
writes makermakesblogYou should absolutely grow mint, although it’s one of those plants that can take over your yard if you’re not careful!
writes VickyThis salad looks so fresh and delicious. And great idea to parboil the lemon and then bake it. Cannot wait to try this!
writes EmilyYes! Boiling it before takes some of the bitterness off. Let me know how it turns out!
writes VickyI am a massive ottolenghi fan.. and an even bigger fan of pomegranate molasses – the stuff seriously tastes so good, especially combined with the flavours you have here. Beautiful salad!
writes Thalia @ butter and briocheThanks Thalia. You know, drinking pomegranate molasses straight tastes like candy…not that I’ve tried it or anything :). You should work it into one of your beautiful cakes!
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