This fresh, summery salad is bursting with Palestinian flavor

Summer days are best with simple dinners. Keeping the salads and sides fresh keeps eating in from getting mundane.

This week’s recipe is Radicchio, Radish and Clementine Salad from “Zaitoun, Recipes from the Palestinian Kitchen.” I had been eyeing this cookbook each time I saw it but hadn’t purchased it. Then a friend gifted it to me, and she had no idea about my longing for it. It feels so meant to be when things like that happen.

Palestinian food is quite similar to Lebanese cuisine, so the recipes feel and taste familiar. Different cuisines can transport you to a time or place or even just a daydream, which feels so essential since travel is currently thwarted.

Radicchio is one of those “greens” you either like or dislike. When balanced correctly with a tart vinaigrette and a bit of sweetness, it can be delightful. Any salad with arugula is a winner, in my opinion, so the combo makes the perfect bed for a bright, fresh salad. Clementine segments cut out of the membrane take a bit of time with a pairing knife, but it’s well worth the effort for the eating experience.

The sweet orange-y flavor hits your tongue immediately. Chopped dates, radishes and pumpkin seeds top this salad off to make it a hit. Recipes like this are so simple, delicious and satisfying.

Serve it alongside some lamb chops with tahini sauce and maybe a batch of hummus, too, and dinner will transport you to the Middle East, and leave your taste buds hungry for more.

This story was originally published May 15, 2023 at 3:54 PM with the headline "This fresh, summery salad is bursting with Palestinian flavor."