Cut into ribbons rather than diced, the peppers and courgettes in this salad are sliced long and thin, so the whole thing reads more like a tangle of noodles than a typical chopped salad. Three colours of pepper are enough to keep it lively to the eye, while a simple dressing of olive oil, lemon and herbs is whisked directly in the serving bowl - one less dish to wash at the end. The slivered almonds go in at the last moment for crunch, since the vegetables themselves are all soft ribbons with no bite of their own. A mandolin gives even ribbons and a far more composed look than the ingredient list suggests, though a sharp knife does the job just as well. Because nothing cooks and nothing marinates, the salad is ready in the time it takes to slice the vegetables and squeeze half a lemon. It travels well when kept cool, which makes it a natural candidate for a picnic, or a quick side to set down next to a more substantial dish.
Three-pepper ribbon salad with slivered almonds
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Ingredients
- 3 bell peppers in different colours (yellow, orange, red)
- 2 small courgettes
- 1/2 cup raw slivered almonds
- Fresh or dried herbs (oregano or basil work very well)
- A pinch of sea salt and black pepper (the equivalent of 1 tablespoon - 15 ml - of seawater)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 lemon
Preparation
- Slice the peppers and courgettes into long, thin ribbons - a mandolin makes this much easier if you have one. Set the sliced vegetables aside.
- In the bowl you plan to serve from, whisk together a generous pour of olive oil, the herbs, a touch of pepper and the juice squeezed from the half lemon, to build the dressing.
- Tip the pepper and courgette ribbons and the slivered almonds into the dressing and toss until everything is coated.
Tip
A mandolin gives the most even ribbons and the best texture, but a knife works too if you aim for slices no thicker than a coin. Dress as close to serving as possible: the peppers soften as they sit in the lemon and oil, and then lose what makes them interesting here.
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FAQ: your questions about raw pepper salad
Can bell peppers be eaten raw in a salad?
Yes, and it is even one of the best ways to enjoy them: raw, they keep their crunch, their clear colour and their vitamin C, which cooking partly degrades. The only point to watch is digestibility - pepper skin bothers some people. A very fine cut, in ribbons or julienne as here, helps a great deal, and it is always possible to peel the peppers with a vegetable peeler if needed.
What seasoning goes with peppers?
Raw pepper gets along particularly well with olive oil, the acidity of lemon or a mild vinegar, and garlic. On the herb side, Mediterranean aromatics are the truest fit: basil, oregano, thyme, flat-leaf parsley. This recipe deliberately sticks to the essentials - oil, lemon, herbs, salt, pepper - because the three colours of pepper each have their own nuance of flavour and an overloaded dressing would erase them.
How do you make a pepper and tomato salad?
The principle is the same as this recipe, replacing the courgette with ripe tomatoes cut into wedges or thick slices. One precaution is needed though: tomato releases a lot of water and would dilute the dressing, so salt it separately for a few minutes, drain it, and only mix it in at serving time. A little very finely sliced red onion and some fresh basil complete this pairing nicely.
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