‘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
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).
Why I became the Forward’s Editor-in-Chief
You are surely a friend of the Forward if you’re reading this. And so it’s with excitement and awe — of all that the Forward is, was, and will be — that I introduce myself to you as the Forward’s newest editor-in-chief.
And what a time to step into the leadership of this storied Jewish institution! For 129 years, the Forward has shaped and told the American Jewish story. I’m stepping in at an intense time for Jews the world over. We urgently need the Forward’s courageous, unflinching journalism — not only as a source of reliable information, but to provide inspiration, healing and hope.
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
