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Summer is officially over. Today marks the start of Autumn, but the weather has already changed with a mellowing breeze and yellowing trees. There’s a charm about this season. Villagers and orchard owners believe that this is the most generous time of the year. The crops are plenty and the orchards look beautiful with the trees and vines bearing fruits from all colors.

It wasn’t until I spent these days with villagers that I started seeing those little things. I’ve lived my whole life without a village we belong to, no mountain to hide in. It is now, with age, that I’m trying to get as much as I can possibly take from the land. It’ll never be mine though, that’s for sure. Any land can be mine.

I passed by the produce shop nearby and picked up a few things that looks pretty and fresh. The next day I was preparing this kickass salad and preparing for the shooting in a new style. The salad was marvelous, so colorful, very fresh and refreshing. I added one summer produce that is highly disregarded here in Lebanon; zucchini blossoms. I asked the man at the shop to keep me the blossoms after taking them off the zucchinis for display. Apparently if kept, they make the zucchini rot faster. Lucky me, I got a bunch and I put them in this delicious dish

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Summer Farewell Chopped Salad

Serves 3-4 persons

Ingredients

1 cup small orange lentils
4-5 roma tomatoes
1 ears of corn
3-4 cucumbers
4-5 zucchinis
8 zucchini blossoms
2 medium carrots
a handful of mint
a handful of chives
4 tbsp dijon mustard
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup sherry (or use 1/4 cup vinegar and adjust to taste)
Salt and pepper
Fried chicken egg, or quail eggs (optional)

Procedure

Clean the lentils and wash them. Boil them in salted water for 20 minutes or until cooked. Drain, wash, and set aside to cool
Chop the tomatoes into small chunks, the cucumbers and zucchinis into small cubes, shred the carrot (I chopped it for the picture, but for the texture, shredded is better), and the blossoms into ribbons then place in a large bowl
On open flame, stovetop or grill, charr the ear of corn on all sides and set aside to cool. Break in half and use the knife to cut off the kernels and add to the bowl
Chop the herbs and add them to the bowl
To make the dressing, add the mustard, sherry or vinegar, oil, salt and pepper to a jar. Close the lid and shake until mixed
Add the dressing to the salad and mix well. Taste to adjust
You can add a fried chicken egg, or 2 quail eggs to give it an extra protein and nutritious fat kick

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