Summer Salad with Marinated Mushrooms

AZERBAIJAN FOOD

Another summer is slowly coming to a close. I can’t believe how fast it’s been fading away this year. To say goodbye to summer and to welcome fall, I made this fusion salad in which I used a colorful array of fresh summer vegetables along with marinated mushrooms and pickled cucumbers, both clearly suited better for fall or winter, at least from an Azerbaijani point of view:) The resulting salad was bright, colorful, fresh, crunchy, and delicious.The family enjoyed it. I hope you do, too. The recipe was given to me by my cousin’s wife Saida (than you). I’ve adapted it only slightly.

SUMMER SALAD WITH MARINATED MUSHROOMS

Serves 4

1 can (about 3 cups) marinated button mushrooms
1 medium onion, peeled, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 medium carrot, boiled in water until half cooked (should be somewhat tender), peeled and cut into thin strips
1 small green Bell pepper (or half of a medium), cored, seeded, and cut into thin strips
1 small red Bell pepper (or half of a medium), cored, seeded, and cut into thin strips
1 small yellow or orange Bell pepper (or half of a medium), cored, seeded, and cut into thin strips
1 medium pickled dill cucumber, cut into thin strips
1 medium fresh cucumber, peeled and cut into thin strips
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill (add more, if you wish, to taste)
3-4 tablespoons olive oil (or more, to taste)
3-4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (or more, to taste)
salt, to taste
ground black pepper, to taste

1. If the mushrooms are small, leave them whole. If bigger, cut in half.

2. Put the slices onions in a mixing bowl. Add about 1 tablespoon of salt. Rub with your hands, to release its bitter juices. Rinse under running cold water, then squeeze dry to remove all the moisture.

3. In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients together. Stir to mix well. Chill in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving. Nush Olsun! Enjoy!