Back when I lived in Ankara, on my way home I would stop at a well-known supermarket right near my house for its vast salad buffet; and the mushroom and olive salad was my favorite. I ate it as a side dish for dinner or on its own for lunch. With all the fresh herbs and acidity coming from the green olives and pickles, it clicked all the right boxes for my sour taste buds. I learned some tips on how to make it from the supermarket chef and it has become a staple for me ever since.
Nothing is set here; you can use pretty much any ingredient.
for 4 as a side dish/ for 2 as a main course
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 cup sliced pitted green olives, not canned olives
1/2 cup corn
1/2 cup finely chopped pickles
1-2 red peppers, finely chopped
4 green onions, finely chopped
1/3 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh dill, finely chopped
1/8 cup fresh mint, finely chopped
juice of 1 lemon
3-4 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
salt
-Mix 3 cups of water and the juice of half a lemon in a saucepan and boil the chopped mushrooms for 5 minutes. (the lemon juice will prevent the mushrooms from blackening, so you need to put the mushrooms in the lemon water while you chop them) Drain well and let them cool.
-Mix everything in a bowl.
-Salt to your taste and add the other half of the lemon juice and olive oil.
-Spray balsamic vinegar over and serve.
It pairs well as a side dish with grilled meat or vegetables or as a lunch on its own.
