Israeli Avocado Salad

Sliced avocado with diced tomato, za'atar, lemon and cold-pressed olive oil on a breakfast plate

Origin: Tel Aviv & Coastal Plain, Israel

From the journey of Avocado.

The Israeli breakfast is one of the defining institutions of modern Israeli cuisine and one of the most genuinely pleasurable morning meals in the world: a spread of hummus, labneh (strained yoghurt), white cheese, hard-boiled egg, olives, cucumber, tomato salad, fresh bread, and, almost universally now, avocado. The avocado arrived in Palestine in the early twentieth century through the agricultural institutions established by early Zionist settlers, who deliberately trialled crops suited to the Mediterranean climate of the coastal plain and the Jordan Valley. It flourished. By the 1950s, Israel had a serious commercial avocado industry; by the 1970s, it was exporting to Europe. The domestic abundance made the avocado an everyday food rather than an expensive import: it was on the table because it grew in the garden, not because it arrived from far away. The Israeli avocado preparation is instructive in its restraint. Where the Mexican tradition demands lime, chilli, and salt; where the Peruvian tradition demands acid and heat; the Israeli breakfast table dresses the avocado simply: lemon juice to prevent browning and provide brightness, za'atar (the dried wild thyme-oregano-sumac-sesame blend that is the signature herb mix of the Levant) for earthy fragrance, and the very best extra-virgin olive oil that the cook can find: Israel produces excellent olive oil from ancient Souri and Barnea trees. Diced tomato adds acid and sweetness; fresh herbs add life. The result is a salad of minimum technique and maximum ingredient quality, which is the philosophy of the Israeli table in miniature: the best of what grows here, treated simply enough to taste of itself.

Ingredients

Salad

2 large ripe Hass avocados
2 medium ripe tomatoes, finely diced
½ small red onion, very finely diced (optional)
2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley or coriander leaves, roughly chopped

Dressing

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp excellent extra-virgin olive oil
1½ tsp za'atar (the dried herb blend, not just thyme)
½ tsp fine sea salt, plus flakes to finish
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

To Serve

extra za'atar, good olive oil, and flaked sea salt, to finish

Method

Halve the avocados and remove the stones. Using a large spoon, scoop the flesh out in one piece or slice it in the skin with a knife and fan the slices onto the plate. Brush or drizzle immediately with the lemon juice to prevent browning.
Combine the diced tomato with the red onion (if using), a pinch of salt, and half the olive oil in a small bowl. Toss and allow to sit for 5 minutes: the salt draws a little juice from the tomato that becomes part of the dressing.
Spoon the tomato mixture over and around the avocado. Sprinkle za'atar generously over the top. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Season with flaked sea salt and black pepper. Scatter the fresh herbs over everything. Serve immediately with good bread.

Notes

Za'atar is sold in Middle Eastern grocery stores and increasingly in supermarkets. It is a blend of dried wild thyme or oregano, sumac (dried ground berries providing tart citrus notes), toasted sesame seeds, and sometimes dried marjoram or hyssop. Each producer's blend is slightly different. The Israeli table version typically has a good amount of sumac, giving the finished dish a slightly purple-red dusting. Do not substitute with plain dried thyme: the sumac and sesame are essential. This salad is at its best served with fresh pita, warm laffa flatbread, or thick-sliced sourdough toasted in olive oil.

The Gastrographer

Name: Israeli Avocado Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Israel
Ingredients: 2 large ripe Hass avocados; 2 medium ripe tomatoes, finely diced; 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice; 2 tbsp excellent extra-virgin olive oil; 1½ tsp za'atar (the dried herb blend, not just thyme); ½ tsp fine sea salt, plus flakes to finish; ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper; ½ small red onion, very finely diced (optional); 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley or coriander leaves, roughly chopped; extra za'atar, good olive oil, and flaked sea salt, to finish

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Journey Point Map Key

Ingredient originTrade or transit route

Became a culinary stapleColonial / trade control