Shared by Elle Brosh
Salade Merk Hzina (Moroccan Chopped Salad)
Yield: 6 servingsSalade Merk Hzina (Moroccan Chopped Salad)
Yield: 6 servingsFamily Journey
Mogador, Morocco and Mascara, AlgeriaSaint Fons, FranceSaddle River, NJ
Los Angeles
This is a Moroccan chopped salad made with tomatoes, peppers, celery, capers, and preserved lemon. “Merk hzina” is Judeo-Arabic for “sad sauce” — or what we’d call a “kitchen sink” salad, says Elle Brosh. In her family, this was a salad enjoyed at the week’s end, or the day before heading to the souk to restock.
Read more about Elle Brosh in “Cooking My Way Back to My North African-Jewish Roots” and try her recipes for Omelette Juive (Algerian Omelette) and J’ben (Homemade Moroccan Cheese).
Ingredients
- 1 lb. cherry tomatoes
- 1 lb. of sweet bell peppers
- 2 stalks of celery, plus a handful of celery leaves
- 1 tablespoon preserved lemon peel, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- ½ fresh lemon, juiced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 pinches Maldon or other flaky salt
Preparation
Step 1
Halve the cherry tomatoes, and dice the bell peppers and celery. In a large bowl, toss with the preserved lemon peel, capers, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil and salt.
Step 2
Add the reserved celery leaves. Serve immediately.