Fabulous Fattoush

Ingredients

• 2 lemon cucumbers or 1 English cucumber
• 6 scallions
• 3/4 lb tomato, chopped
• 1/4 lb golden tomato, cut in half
• salt
• 3 pita bread or arabic bread, day old
• 1 head romaine lettuce
• 1 bunch flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• 1 bunch fresh mint
• 1 cup purslane, rinsed and drained
• 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon ground sumac
• freshly cracked black pepper
• lemon wedge, for garnish

Directions

1. 1

   Whisk together in a non-reactive bowl the olive oil, lemon juice, sumac and black pepper. Set aside.

2. 2

   Dice the lemon cucumbers. (If using English cucumber, peel then dice.) Chop the scallions and mix the cucumbers, scallions and tomatoes together in a bowl. Sprinkle with salt and allow to stand 10 minutes.

3. 3

   Toast the bread until lightly browned then cool. Once cool enough to handle, break the bread up into 1 inch pieces and place in a serving bowl or platter.

4. 4

   Cover the bread with the cucumber/tomato mixture and let stand 10 minutes to allow the bread to absorb the juices.

5. 5

   Chop the romaine lettuce, parsley and mint. Strip the purslane leaves from the stalks. Stir the herbs into the salad.

6. 6

   Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and serve immediately.

7. 7

   NOTE: DO NOT prepare the salad in advance. If the salad is prepared too soon it will turn soggy. Best eaten the same day it is prepared.