The site where I found this recipe calls it ‘soup’, but I didn’t think that term was quite right. I preferred the term ‘nage’ because of its lightness, even though it isn’t any more accurate: in traditional cooking, a nage is a court-bouillon used to poach delicate foods, particularly fish and shellfish. It is made from white wine, vegetables and aromatic herbs. Here, there is neither court-bouillon nor white wine, but orange juice.
Call it cold soup or nage if you like – the main thing is that it’s delicious and refreshing!
The author of the recipe also says that it is a traditional Moroccan recipe, but zaataris a typical Lebanese spice blend. In Morocco, the term ‘zaatar’ refers to oregano. I preferred to use Lebanese zaatar.
The most time-consuming part of this recipe is grating the cucumber. As you need to grate it with the skin on, use an organic cucumber, or wash it thoroughly with bicarbonate of soda.
Cucumbers really are a summer vegetable, and I’m trying out different recipes, to mix things up a bit and make the most of their freshness.
Cold salad with cucumber, orange and za’atar
Equipment
- 1 Gratter
Ingredients
- 3 Cucumber
- 3 Orange
- ½ Lemon
- 1 Table spoon Zaatar
- 2 Tea spoon Orange Blossom Water
- Salt
- Pepper
Instructions
- Finely grate the cucumbers, leaving the skin on, after washing them thoroughly.
- Squeeze the juice from the oranges and add it.
- Add the juice of half a lemon.
- Add the za'atar, orange blossom, salt and pepper. Mix well.
- The mixture should be fairly runny. If it is too thick, add a little water.
- Chill for at least two hours.
