Everyday

Tomato and Cucumber Salad With Dad’s Salad

‘Whisky’

SERVES 4 TO 6 For most meals at my parents’ house, my dad was in charge of the “extras”: the salad, the feta plate, the pickles or olives—all the things he loved that made the meal a little more special. His “three-ingredient Mediterranean salad” literally had chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, and parsley. He seasoned it simply with salt and pepper, lime juice or vinegar, and a good drizzle of olive oil. Baba loved it when the salad sat long enough for all the juices to concentrate in the bowl. He called this delicious liquid “salad whisky” because once everyone was served and the bowl was empty, he collected the liquid in a small glass and drank it like a shot of whisky! I inherited my love for “salad whisky” from Baba and passed it on to my girls, who now fight over who gets to drink it.

—Suzy Karadsheh

• 3 vine-ripened medium tomatoes, cored and diced

• 1 English (hothouse) cucumber, diced

• 3 scallions, trimmed, white and green parts roughly chopped

• 2 or 3 radishes, diced

• 1 cup roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

• 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh dill fronds

• 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh mint leaves

• 2 large garlic cloves, minced

• Kosher salt and ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon sumac

• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

• Juice of 1 lime or lemon, plus more to taste (2 to 4 tablespoons)

• Extra-virgin olive oil vividly the kitchen and the smells around me and just the joy, and that throwing together of simple humble ingredients that turn into good meals in a half hour or so.

In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, cucumber, scallions, radishes, herbs, and garlic. Season well with salt and pepper to taste. Add the sumac and red pepper flakes (if using). Dress the salad with about 2 tablespoons of the lime or lemon juice and a generous drizzle of olive oil (about 3 tablespoons). Toss to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding a splash more lime or lemon juice if you like. Allow the salad to sit about 10 minutes before serving so the flavors meld and the “salad whisky” forms.

If you have any leftovers, keep in the fridge in a tightly covered container for up to one night (it gets nicely marinated, but it may lose a bit of its crunch).

But my biggest memories of food are of my dad taking me to the market. He was a pastor, going mainly to check up on people and chat. He took so much joy in showing me a tomato and telling me to smell it, touch it.

AE: Are there any uniquely American or Southern culinary techniques that you’ve picked up since you’ve made the South your home?

Mrs. Karadsheh: I’ve lived in America longer than I have in Egypt. I am very much an American mom, so I have to be efficient in the kitchen. What drives my cooking are the ingredients available, my schedule, and the hurriedness of it. I have become efficient at making skillet dinners and casseroles.

AE: What are some essential ingredients that are always in your pantry?

Mrs. Karadsheh: Extra virgin olive oil, garlic, dried and canned beans, whole grains. Keep in a dry, dark, cool place.

AE: What about your fridge?

Mrs. Karadsheh: Anything citrus—lemons, limes, oranges. Fresh herbs—parsley, cilantro.

AE: What do you typically cook on a weeknight?

Mrs. Karadsheh: Something in a skillet, [such as] a quick chicken skillet with oregano, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil.

AE: What do you do when you’re stuck in a cooking rut?

Mrs. Karadsheh: I grab two cans of chickpeas. I’ll throw them in a skillet with lots of olive oil, lots of garlic, lots of lemon juice. And then whatever else I have in my fridge. I don’t stress about cooking. It just takes a little bit of imagination to open the fridge and think, “What’s lying around that needs to be used today?”

That’s not to say we haven’t had a Chick-fil-A or pizza night! I am not a superhero. •