my first tomato of the season & recipe

The summer tomato season has started here at casa ciao! My first little perfect tomato has just been picked, and last night I incorporated it into one of my favorite middle-eastern recipes, Salad Shirazi. 

Salad Shirazi is a popular traditional Persian salad that originated the city of Shiraz in Southern Iran. The main ingredients are chopped cucumber, tomato, onion and a little lemon juice. In Iran, it is eaten in the summer as a side dish and on its own. It’s a crisp and refreshing side dish for summer that is so easy to make! 

During the colder months, it serves as a side dish alongside foods such as kebab and rice. Try my basic recipe and let me know what you think! 

Salad Shirazi

v  4 Persian cucumbers, peeled and diced

v  2 medium tomatoes, diced

v  1/4 medium red onion, diced

v  1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

v  1 tablespoon olive oil

v  ½  tablespoon lemon juice

v  Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Chop all your vegetables and herbs and mix together in a large bowl.  Toss with olive oil and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Enjoy! (About 4 servings)

ciao! fabiana