Fennel salad with feta, pomegranate seeds & sumac

For ➍
½ pomegranate
2 medium fennel bulbs
1½ tbs olive oil
2 ts sumac, plus extra to garnish
juice 1 lemon
4 tbs tarragon leaves
2 tbs coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
70 g Greek feta, sliced
salt & black pepper

First remove the seeds from the pomegranate.*
Cut the stems with the leaves of the fennel bulbs, keep some green behind to garnish. Cut the root disc from the tuber but leave enough to hold the slices together. Cut the tuber lengthwise into very thin slices**
In a bowl, stir together the olive oil, sumac, lemon juice, herbs and some salt and pepper. Add the fennel slices. Taste whether salt and pepper need to be added, but keep in mind that the feta is already salty.
Arrange the fennel slices with the feta and the pomegranate seeds on the plate.

*It is best to halve it along the bellly. Take it firmly in your hand with the cut side facing your hand. Beat on the skin with a wooden spoon over a bowl. Do not hit too hard, otherwise you will bruise the kernels and tear the skin. Magically only the seeds fall out. Remove any white film that comes with it.
**A mandolin is super handy for this.

Lebanese fattoush salad

For ➍
2 loaves pita bread
extra virgin olive oil
½ ts sumac, more for later
salt & pepper
1 heart of Romaine lettuce, chopped
1 (seedless)cucumber, chopped
5 Roma tomatoes, chopped
5 green onions (both white and green parts), chopped
5 radishes, stems removed, thinly sliced
2 cups chopped fresh parsley leaves, stems removed
1 cup chopped fresh mint leaves (optional)
lime vinaigrette:
1½ lime, juice of
7 cl extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper
1 ts ground sumac
¼ ts ground cinnamon
scant ¼ ts ground allspice

Toast the pita bread in your toaster oven until it is crisp but not browned.
Heat 3 tbs of olive oil in a large pan. Break the pita bread into pieces, and place in the heated oil. Fry briefly until browned, tossing frequently. Add salt, pepper and ½ ts of sumac. Remove the pita chips from the heat and place on paper towels to drain.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, green onions with the sliced radish and parsley.
To make the lime vinaigrette, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil and spices in a small bowl.
Dress the salad with the vinaigrette and toss lightly.
Add the pita chips (and another generous pinch of sumac, if you like) and toss one more time.

Fattoush (Lebanese pita salad)

For ➍
1 pepper, julienned
4 tomatoes, in parts
6 mini-cucumbers, in thick slices, or 1 young 'normal', cut in half lengthwise
1 shallot, finely chopped
6 sprigs of mint, leaves only, finely chopped
2 pita bread, open & cut for an extra crispy effect
1 tbs sumac
1 lemon, squeezed
olive oil
1 to 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped*

In a large bowl, mix sumac, lemon juice, oil and any garlic with salt and pepper into a tasty dressing. Add the vegetables and the mint and mix well.
Roast the pita bread golden brown and crispy*.
Break them into pieces and serve them with the salad*.

*Marinate the toasted bread in the dressing, this gives a soft, comforting structure to the salad.