‘Zahav’ Mango, Cucumber and Sumac-Onion Israeli Salad

The Israeli chef and restaurateur known for his legendary Philadelphia restaurant, Zahav, Chef Michael Solomonov created a mango, cucumber and sumac-onion Israeli salad that’s a perfectly fresh addition to any meal. Image by Gayle L. Squires

By Michael Solomonov October 14, 2015

This salad contains homemade pickled onions, which wake up a slew of recipes. Chef Michael Solomonov came up with them because he realized raw onions didn’t always appeal to the American palate. “So the quick-pickle treatment is really attractive,” he said. “You can eat a bunch of it. It’s nice, it’s refreshing, but it’s still got crunch and a little bit of savory robustness.”

Serves 4–6

2 mangoes, peeled and cut around the pit into small cubes (3 cups)
1 large English cucumber or 3 smaller Persian cucumbers, diced (3 cups)
¼ cup simple sumac onions (see below), plus more for topping
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, toss to combine, and serve with additional sumac onions on top.

Simple Sumac Onions

Makes about 1 cup

1 red onion, thinly sliced or finely diced
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon ground sumac
½ teaspoon kosher salt

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and toss to combine. Serve immediately.

Recipe adapted from “Zahav: A World of Israeli Cooking” by Michael Solomonov and Steven Cook (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt).

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