I have a slight obsession with Turkish grocers. I keep reading articles raving about Danish food culture, the NOMA effect and so on but I’m not sure I have seen the effects of it as much here in Aarhus. Every single article mentions how you can now buy foraged herbs in Danish supermarkets. I’m not sure if this is a Copenhagen thing, or some kind of elaborate hoax being played on hapless journalists. ‘Quick, it’s that guy from the Guardian, break out the emergency sorrel’. This trend does not seem to have made its way further afield. In fact, getting fruit and vegetables outside of a supermarket is pretty tricky from what I can see, unless you really stock up at the weekly market.
This is where Turkish grocers come in, as a good source of fresh fruit, vegetables and most importantly, herbs. I have recently discovered a fantastic one near my flat, complete with a million different kind of olives, haydari, and huge bunches of parsley, coriander, dill and mint. This is helpful when working your way through Ottolenghi recipes, which inevitably call for bushels and bushels of fresh herbs. This recipe is adapted, given that finding a decent looking tomato in the midst of Danish winter is as likely as a Michelin guide reviewer venturing outside Copenhagen. Instead, I have substituted sweet red peppers, which work just as well, if not as authentically. You can however get buttermilk in every shop, as the Danes have a tradition of drinking buttermilk, which I haven’t seen elsewhere. It seems to be a longstanding one, as James Joyce writes about it in his book ‘The Cats of Copenhagen’. At least I am not the only Irish visitor to these shores that finds this a bit unusual.
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Fattoush Salad
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 2-3 servings 1x
Description
A refreshing Fattoush Salad with a Danish twist, substituting sweet red peppers for tomatoes and featuring a medley of fresh herbs and crispy flatbread.
Ingredients
- 1 flatbread
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 1 cucumber, or 2 mini cucumbers, diced
- 5-6 radishes, sliced thinly
- 2 spring onions, chopped
- 1 bunch fresh mint, chopped
- 1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tsp sumac
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Place the flatbread in the oven for 1-2 minutes to crisp up, or alternatively, use a hot frying pan. Tear the crisped flatbread into small pieces and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the diced red pepper, diced cucumber, sliced radishes, chopped spring onions, chopped mint, and chopped parsley.
- Add the minced garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to the bowl. Toss everything together until well combined.
- Just before serving, add the torn flatbread pieces and sprinkle with sumac. Toss gently to combine.
- Serve immediately to enjoy the crisp texture of the bread.
Notes
- For a more authentic flavor, you can use tomatoes instead of red peppers if they are in season.
- The salad is best served immediately to maintain the crispness of the flatbread.
- If you can’t find sumac, a squeeze of lemon juice can add a similar tangy flavor.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one day, but note that the bread will lose its crispness.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: Lebanese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 300
- Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 24
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 4
- Cholesterol: 0
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Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe uses red pepper instead of tomatoes — is that traditional?
Not entirely — the article explains that the author adapted the recipe because finding a decent-looking tomato during Danish winter is nearly impossible. The notes confirm you can use tomatoes instead of red peppers when they are in season for a more authentic flavor. 
What is sumac and what can I use if I can’t find it?
Sumac is a tart, fruity Middle Eastern spice sprinkled over the assembled salad. The notes say that if you cannot find sumac, a squeeze of lemon juice can add a similar tangy flavor.
When should I add the flatbread to avoid it going soggy?
Add the torn, crisped flatbread pieces just before serving — the notes warn that leftovers stored in the fridge will lose their crispness within a day, so the salad is best served immediately after assembly.
