Turkish Black-eyed Pea Salad with Pomegranate, Walnuts and Za’atar Dressing
This colorful salad is an adaptation of an adaptation. I wish I had made twice as much. We really enjoyed this salad. The basic ingredients are the same but I changed the dressing. It has a nice mixture of sweet, spicy sour and with the tang of mustard.
Serving Size: 4
Ingredients:
For the salad:
- 4 cups cooked and drained black-eyed peas
- 1 bunch scallions, chopped ( both white and green parts)
- 1/2 cup broken walnuts, toasted
- 1/2 cup fresh pomegranate seeds
- 1 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- lettuce or radicchio leaves.
for the dressing:
- 1/4 cup pomegranate juice
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Juice of 3 large lemons
- 2 teaspoons mild grainy mustard
- pinch salt
- pinch cumin
Za’atar (from Ace Bakery):
- 1 cup (240 ml) chopped hazelnuts
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) white sesame seeds
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) poppy seeds
- 10 white peppercorns
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) cumin seeds
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) coriander seeds
Directions:
to prepare the dressing:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the pomegranate juice, olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper to combine.
for the salad:
- In a separate large bowl, place the drained, cooked black-eyed peas, scallions, toasted walnuts, pomegranate seeds and parsley.
- Stir carefully to avoid crushing the pomegranate seeds.
- Pour dressing over salad, stirring once more before serving.
- Serve the salad in a lettuce or radicchio cup and dust the top with the Zahtar.
for the Za’atar:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Mix all the ingredients on a baking sheet and roast for about 5 minutes or until the seeds look golden.
- Remove from the oven and let cool.
- Spoon the mixture into a resealable plastic bag.
- Close the bag and, using a rolling pin, roughly crush the seeds and nuts, taking care not to reduce them to paste.
- This should take about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Alternatively, use a mortar and pestle.
- Or use a coffee grinder and pulse only once or twice.
- Za’taar will last 1 month if stored in a tightly sealed container.
- Makes 2 cups (474 ml)
Notes:
Toasting the walnuts is important, it adds a lot more flavor to the salad.
The Zahtar is also important. I made just a bit, and ground it in my coffee grinder. It does offer a very nice dimension to the salad.
Adapted from http://thewellseasonedcook.blogspot.com/ who based hers on a Food Down Under recipe.