Tomato & Green Pepper Salad, Fez Style
Submitted by Sherrie Malothomp
Moroccan tomato and roasted green pepper salad from Fez with cumin, paprika, preserved lemon, and olive oil. A smoky, bright North African appetizer or side dish.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
20 minREADY
30 minThis Moroccan salad from Fez brings together fire-charred green peppers and ripe tomatoes dressed with cumin, sweet paprika, and preserved lemon. It’s smoky, tangy, and deeply aromatic.
The peppers get charred until the skins are blackened all over, then steamed in a towel until they’re cool enough to peel. That charring gives them a sweet, smoky depth that raw peppers can’t touch. The tomatoes are skinned, seeded, and chopped so you’re left with nothing but clean, juicy flesh.
Preserved lemon is what makes this unmistakably Moroccan. The rind gets rinsed, the pulp discarded, and the peel diced into small cubes that scatter across the top. Each bite delivers a burst of intensely salty, floral lemon flavor that’s completely different from fresh lemon juice.
Pro Tips
- Char the peppers over a gas flame if you have one. The direct fire gives a more intense smokiness than the oven method.
- Squeeze the tomato halves gently to remove seeds. Too much juice makes the salad watery.
- Rinse the preserved lemon well under running water before using. Unrinsed, it can be overwhelmingly salty.
- Serve this cool, not cold. Straight from the fridge mutes the spices and olive oil.
Variations
- Use roasted red peppers instead of green for a sweeter, milder version.
- Add a handful of chopped fresh cilantro or flat-leaf parsley for more green freshness.
- Scatter black olives on top for a classic Moroccan presentation.
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare peppers by grilling them in a 450F oven or holding them over a gas flame until the skins are evenly charred.
Place in a towel and set aside to cool.
When cool, slip off the skins, core and seed.
Cut into small pieces and set aside.
Skin the tomatoes and cut out the core.
Slice each tomato in half crosswise and squeeze gently to remove the seeds.
Cut the flesh into small pieces.
Mix peppers and tomatoes in a glass serving dish and add all remaining ingredients except the preserved lemon.
Mix well. Rinse preserved lemon under running water and cut away the pulp.
Cut the peel into cubes and sprinkle over the salad.
Serve cool.
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