This salad is Sylvia Titizian‘s family’s salad that is made with the surquig or shankleesh cheese; in Lebanon, this salad is part of a large mezze spread and usually enjoyed with a glass of arak, our national drink. Sylvia’s family uses walnuts, I used pecans.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 or 2 balls of surquig or shankleesh cheese (can be bought at middle-eastern stores or made-see previous post), chopped in small pieces
- 1/2 cup of walnuts, chopped coarsely
- 2 Large tomatoes, chopped
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 1 red onion, sliced
- Dressing: olive oil – I used walnut oil and raspberry vinegar
62 Comments
I suppose any nut could be used here, depending on tastes and what’s available in the region. Pecans are a little pricier but worth it!
Great for a summer’s evening! Delicious.
Visually stunning!
@Doc: the spices are not in the salad, only in the cheese.
I am doing my Lebanese week next so will look for the cheese. Looks like a really delicious dish!
oh wow… this cheese is it like a spiced labneh??
That sounds delicious. I’ll have to keep this recipe on hand for a summer dinner!
Oh, Joumana, I have to catch up with your blog. I am having withdrawals. This looks lovely with pecans. Very unexpected!
Loved learning about the national drink – and yet another cheese I have never experienced. I may as well settle with the knowing that I will never live long enough. I am back from the land of report cards are due. The salad looks amazing. I love having a favourite family recipe in my hands…. and walnut oil is also another favourite… as is Pistachio oil, that I never use often enough.
Valerie
This looks wonderful! I just discovered your blog via the Spice Spoon and I’m totally wowed! Looking forward to following your blog!
Fun for a hot summer evening when you don’t want to cook/
Mimi
Un délicieux moment de fraîcheur nous est offert avec cette salade de rêve en rouge et blanc….
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[...] Joumana at Taste of Beirut offers an appealing spiced cheese salad, and Mark Bittman a quick pasta preparation with shallots, peas, lettuce, and proscuitto. Bittman [...]