Spinach Salad With Dates And Almonds

The cookbook “Jerusalem” is touted as one of the best or the best cookbook of 2012…. vibrant cuisines and compelling stories of the authors homeland. This spinach salad has a fantastic combination of flavors, and textural components. Toasting the pecans and pitas results in a crunchy salad that’s sweet with dates and tart with lemon. Using seasonal ingredients, this is a comfortable salad that stands alone. (Or accompany with a “Moroccan” spiced chicken breast.) As you read the recipe you’ll probably ask and wonder what sumac is. I asked the same……….and where do you find it?? Hard to find but worth the hunt. While looking for a replacement for sumac, I discovered that prior to the introduction of lemons, the Romans used sumac as a souring agent. Sumac has a pleasant, tangy taste with a hint of citrus. (You could use lemon zest and salt as a substitute.)

Baby Spinach Salad with Dates and Almonds

Serves 4    

(Adapted from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi)

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1/2 medium red onion, sliced thin

3 1/2 ounces medjool dates, pitted, sliced lengthwise and quarter

2 tablespoons butter, unsalted

2 tablespoon olive oil

2 small pitas, roughly torn

1/2 cup almonds, whole, unsalted, coarsely chopped

2 teaspoons sumac

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

5 ounces baby spinach leaves

2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed

salt

In a small bowl mix vinegar with onions and dates. Add a pinch of salt and mix. Heat 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a saute pan and add pita and pecans. Toast for 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat. Mix with sumac and red pepper. Cool. Combine date mixture with pita. When ready to serve toss spinach with olive oil, lemon juice and salt. Plate spinach and top with pita mixture.