Here is the recipe for Samphire Salad / Deniz Börülcesi Salatası. This is a refreshing dish, popular especially in the Aegean Region. Samphire comes into season in Turkey during May and June. The preparation of the samphire has a little twist in it. It is a salty vegetable, so make sure to be miser when adding salt, if any. With this recipe you will see that when boiled and peeled as described here it is a tasty, refreshing salad.
I hope you try and enjoy it because samphire contains several rare minerals and plenty of calcium.
To make it less salty prepare a pot of boiling water and add the samphire in it. Add also 3 garlic cloves to the boiling water to add flavour.
Cook until samphire is soft enough to take out the stem. Gently push out the edible darker green part and discard the stem. If you turn gently back and forth it will come out easily. In Turkish samphire is called deniz börülcesi-sea pea making one think that the plant is grown under the sea; but it is probably because of the fish bone like stem it has. You have to check each and every one for this stem and take it out.
Once you get rid of the thick, unedible stem in the middle of each one, mix well with good quality extra virgin olive oil, some pomegranate sauce and vinegar. You are ready to serve. Goes perfect as a side dish to fish dishes as its name in Turkish implies.
This salad definitely makes me long for a warm, sea side vacation.
Samphire Salad
Ingredients
- 500 grams samphire 1 bunch
- 3 garlic cloves
- 3 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- 1 tablespoon vinegar grape or apple
- 1 tablespoon pomegranate sauce
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- Cut off and discard the bottom part of the samphires and rinse.
- Bring to boil about a litre of water in a pot. Add 3 garlic cloves, you do not need to peel the garlic at this stage.
- Add also the samphires to the water and boil over medium heat for about 7-8 minutes. Take out one and check if it is easily peelable. If so, remove all from the water and start peeling.
- To peel hold a samphire from the bottom and gently push out the dark green side. If you switch it slightly back and forth and to sides it will come out easly. You do not need to cut them but if they tear while peeling you can still use these pieces.
- Take out the garlics out of the water and peel them now. Chop to tiny pieces.
- In a small bowl mix the chopped garlic, olive oil, vinegar and pomogranate sauce. Add also red pepper flakes if you choose to add. Sampire is already a salty vegetable, do not add salt.
- Pour the sauce on the samphire and mix well and serve as a side dish.