Levantine cuisine · Salads & Mezze

Salatet Lift bi Zeit (Turnip Salad with Olive Oil)

Boiled turnip cubes dressed lukewarm with olive oil, lemon, and plenty of parsley.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 2 turnips
• 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley
• 1 red onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 lemons
• 5 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp cumin
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Peel the turnips thickly, until no woody rim is visible, and cut into 2 cm cubes.
2. Boil the cubes in salted water for 15–18 min., until tender but still holding on a fork, then drain and let steam off briefly.
3. Grind the garlic with 1/2 tsp salt in a mortar into a paste and stir with the juice of both lemons, the olive oil, cumin, and pepper.
4. Pour the dressing over the still-warm turnip cubes and let sit for 10 min. so they absorb the acidity.
5. Finely dice the red onion, roughly chop the parsley leaves, and fold both in.
6. Season with salt and pepper and serve lukewarm or cold as a mezze on a shallow platter.