Fattoush salad

Source: nephrocare.it

Presentation

A single dish of Lebanese origin consisting of a dressing prepared with sumac, lemon juice, pomegranate syrup, garlic, white wine, peppermint, extra virgin olive oil and salt, with a salad prepared with pita, salt, tomatoes, cucumbers, spring onions, lettuce, extra virgin olive oil, parsley, purslane, peppermint and sumac.

Ingredients

for 8 people

For the dressing:

4 teaspoons ground sumac .

4 teaspoons warm water

3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons pomegranate syrup

2 cloves of garlic

2 teaspoons white wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon dried peppermint

175 ml extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt

Salad:

2 pita breads (8 in / 20 cm)
Sea salt, to taste
3 medium tomatoes
500 g (17.6 oz) cucumbers
6 spring onions (scallions)
2 small heads of lettuce or romaine lettuce
60 ml (¼ cup / 2 fl oz) extra-virgin olive oil
1 bunch fresh parsley — 50 g (1.8 oz)
Fresh purslane — 25 g (0.9 oz), or other salad greens
Fresh peppermint (mint) leaves — 50 g (1.8 oz)
Optional: 1–2 teaspoons ground sumac, or to taste

Method

For the dressing, mix the sumac with the water and let it sit for 15 minutes.

Add the lemon juice, pomegranate syrup, minced garlic, 2 teaspoons of white wine vinegar and dried mint.

Add the oil in a trickle while stirring.

Season with sea salt to taste.

For the salad, cut the pita bread in half and toast it.

In the meantime, slice the tomatoes and cucumber

Cut the spring onions into rings and the cleaned lettuce into strips 2 cm wide.

Break the pita bread into bite-sized pieces and put it in the salad bowl.

Pour the olive oil over the bread (so that it does not absorb all the seasoning). Add salt to taste.

Mix the tomatoes, cucumber, onions, salad and spices in a mixing bowl and pour the dressing over the top.

If you like, complete with sumac.

Allergens

Garlic: very rare cases of garlic reactivity reported

Cucumber: cases of individual intolerance described

Spring onion: possible reactivity in case of nickel allergy due to the vegetable’s ability to concentrate it

Lettuce: individual cases of intolerance described

Lemon: Lemon intolerance or possible cross-reaction in case of grass pollen allergy

Pomegranate: some cases of hypersensitivity to this fruit have been described

Mint: possible cross-reactivity in case of spice allergy

Extra virgin olive oil: unusual allergy; intolerance not described

Pita: cereals containing gluten included in EU Regulation 1169/2011

Tomatoes: possible cross-reaction in case of sensitivity to grasses

Parsley: possible cross-reaction in case of allergy to spices, mugwort, composites

Purslane: may cause allergy

Sumac or sumac: possible cross-reactivity in case of cashew nut allergies; if consumed in excess it causes kidney and intestinal disorders; if consumed fresh and not dried they are poisonous.

Wine: presence of sulphites included among the allergens in EU Regulation 1169/2011

Notes

To be prepared and handled under strict hygienic conditions.

Sumac can be substituted for grated lemon zest and salt or pepper or lemon juice

The ingredients of the dish bring the following benefits:

Garlic: has immune-stimulating properties, promotes liver function and the elimination of waste metabolites. It also has hypocholesterolemic, lipid-lowering, antiplatelet, hypotensive and hypoglycemic properties that promote cardiac function.

Cucumber: Favorable to kidney function and stone prevention; also favorable to liver function.

Spring onion: rich in selenium that supports the immune system and with the ability to stabilize blood glucose at normal values; it provides quercetin, a flavonoid that helps contain cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood, parameters related to cardiovascular risk, which also supports liver function by promoting the purification of the body. Also suitable for nephropathics.

Lettuce: rich in carotenoids that support the immune system and mineral salts, vitamins and antioxidants that act to protect the cardiovascular system; also suitable for nephropathic patients; useful for the functioning of the liver for the supply of vitamins, mineral salts and antioxidants

Pomegranate: rich in polyphenols and vitamin C that promote the functionality of the immune and cardiovascular systems; it has mild diuretic properties,

Mint: source of numerous antioxidants and potassium favorable to cardiovascular and liver function.

Extra virgin olive oil: source of Vitamin E that protects the immune system from harmful fatty acids

Tomato: rich in vitamin C, the antioxidant par excellence that fights free radicals and supports the immune system, and provides mineral salts, vitamins and antioxidants that act to protect the cardiovascular system; also suitable for nephropathic patients. Useful for the functioning of the liver for the supply of vitamins, mineral salts and antioxidants

Purslane: salad source of omega 3, carotenoids, chlorophyll and Vitamin E that protect the immune system from harmful fatty acids and mineral salts, vitamins and antioxidants that act to protect the cardiovascular system; also suitable for nephropathic patients

Parsley: rich in carotenoids that support the immune system and mineral salts, vitamins and antioxidants that act to protect the cardiovascular system; also suitable for nephropathic patients and useful for the functioning of the liver for the supply of vitamins, mineral salts and antioxidants

Sumac: a spice favorable to the proper functioning of the cardiovascular system, which lowers blood sugar and has a draining action, also promoting kidney function.

White wine: (moderate consumption) counteracts bad cholesterol and raises the levels of good cholesterol, reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke and has a purifying and detoxifying activity favorable to the proper functioning of the liver

Safety / Intended use

Also intended for individuals suffering from:

Anorexia – Weight Loss
Mucositis (inflammation and lesions of the oral cavity) with caution according to the degree of acidity and spiciness