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Armenian chopped salad of tomatoes, cucumbers, bell pepper, parsley and mint
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Armenian Chopped Salad

A bright and lemony chopped summer salad
Prep Time15 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Armenian
Keyword: Armenian, Asian Steak Salad, chopped

Ingredients

  • 2 large Ripe Tomatoes cut in about 3/4-1 inch dice
  • 3-4 Pickling Cucumers cut in about 3/4-1 inch dice
  • 1 Red Bell Pepper cut in about 3/4-1 inch dice
  • 1/4 cup Parsley Chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon Fresh Mint Chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
  • 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo Pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt

Instructions

  • Toss tomatoes, cucumbers, bell pepper, parsley and mint in a bowl. Mix well.
    Armenian chopped salad of tomatoes, cucumbers, bell pepper, parsley and mint
  • Whisk lemon juice, olive oil, kosher salt,and Aleppo pepper in a small bowl.
  • Pour over salad and toss well.

Modifications

I wanted the tomatoes and cucumbers cut smaller than I was able to cut them but since I was so wiped out I wasn't able to do it. At that point, I was somehow able to let go of the “wrongness” of it.
Cutting ingredients on the bed.
This is what it looks like when you can go no further and need to cut up the rest of the recipe while sitting on the bed.
Since I ran out of energy, I also didn't bother with the bell pepper. Using whatever combination of vegetables and herbs that you have or feel like from the recipe is also an option. Personally, I think the parsley is a must but it's up to you!
I chopped the parsley in the food processor but did the tomatoes with a knife because they get mushy in the food processor. I also slivered/chiffonaded the mint by hand but really struggled with it. To chiffonade, I stack the mint leaves and roll them lengthwise. It was hard with my limited dexterity and I used a very small knife so I wouldn't slip and cut myself. I didn't think until later that I should have used the kitchen shears. My occupational therapist would have been both proud that I was trying to make my hands stronger and horrified that I was so close to my fingertips with the knife.
I also didn't mix the olive oil and lemon juice in a separate bowl although it probably would have emulsified better.  I poured the olive oil directly from the bottle and estimated. I cut a small half of a lemon and squeezed it directly into the salad. If somebody got a lemon seed, I didn't hear about it and at the moment that's all that mattered. Nobody had to get "The Look" from me.
I just now realized I forgot the salt and didn't even notice when I ate it.
I will do better next time.