Netanel’s Cherry Tomato Salad

As I’ve mentioned previously, my son Netanel, the youngest of my kids, likes to play around in the kitchen as much as I do. He and his wife Ayelet are very into having all sorts and sundry salads (or salatim as they are called in Israel) to grace the Shabbat table and every so often he’ll spring a new idea on me and I will pounce on it. This is one he whipped up one Shabbat when visiting with us with Ayelet and Bnaya and we were wowed by it especially since it’s ridiculously simple to make with very few ingredients but oh so delish!

He peered into my fridge and yelled, Mom! you have cherry tomatoes. Yup, I said. You’ve got fresh mushrooms (I only get fresh mushrooms. This is a pet peeve, no canned mushrooms have darkened the door of my pantry in about 30 years, I kid you not). And olives! Yeeees, I replied, your point being? I’ll make a cherry tomato salad. And he did.

So gather the few goodies together which you need.

Wash the tomatoes and clean the mushrooms and slice the tomatoes in half and slice up the mushroom in nice slices. The color contrasts of white, red and green also make the salad eye catching. Now I had no olive rings so I just sliced up the olives as well, easy peasy.

All you add to this is a built in dressing, right in the bowl with the veggies pour in a coupla glugs of olive oil (this is important, don’t use a different sort), lemon juice, freshly squeezed highly preferred, minced onion, fresh or dried and salt.

That’s all folks! Toss well to coat and let marinate if possible 15-20 minutes. Just throw together before a meal and let sit a bit. It’s bright and fresh tasting and although there aren’t many ingredients the combo is just wonderful. Also great for Passover as an additional light salad for your table.

Netanel’s Cherry Tomato Salad

20 Cherry tomatoes, plum or round as you wish, washed

10-15 fresh mushrooms cleaned

10 green olives sliced into rings

1/2 teaspoon dried minced onion OR 1 tablespoon fresh finely chopped onion

2 tablespoon olive oil

1-2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt to taste

Directions:

Slice your cherry tomatoes in half and place in bowl. Thinly slice your mushroom and add. Add the olive rings and onion, pour in the olive oil, lemon juice and salt and toss well till all is coated. Let sit and marinate 15-20 minutes. Serve room temperature.