Syrian egg and olive salad

Eggs and olives are a superb combination. The salt of the eggs is balanced by the plainness of the egg whites; they support each other beautifully.

This is a traditional salad with a pop of flavour. I chose to serve it more like a deviled egg rather than the traditional tossed salad format, just for visual effect. The sumac adds sourness, the pine nuts add a nutty flavour, and the paprika adds smoky heat. They are all well-balanced, and these are small bites that are delicious. I love serving this as an amuse-bouche, but it's also great as an appetiser.

Greg and Lucy Malouf have travelled extensively across the Middle East, publishing several specialised cookbooks along the way. This cookbook specialises in Syrian cuisine with a modern flair, a thick volume filled with amazing recipes like this one, along with photographs. I have cooked a few recipes from this book, but definitely not enough, and each is spectacular. I need to complete collecting their cookbooks; oh, I wish I had a larger cookbook budget. This book is for those who are looking for spectacular Syrian cuisine.

For more delicious recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

6 eggs, boiled until the eggs are just set and halved longitudinally

Green olives, sliced

1/4 onion, microdiced

1 garlic clove, microdiced

Lemon/lime juice

Extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons pine nuts, lightly toasted

Parsley, finely minced

Spicy paprika, to be sprinkled

Sumac, to be sprinkled

1 tablespoon sesame seeds, lightly toasted

Pepper to be sprinkled

Method:

Lay the halved eggs on a platter with the yolk side up. Garnish with a couple of olive slices per egg, followed by onions, garlic, a drop of lime juice per egg, a few drops of olive oil, pine nuts, parsley, paprika, sumac, sesame seeds, and pepper. Do not overcrowd the eggs with toppings, just enough to add each flavour.

Serve immediately.