Merk Hzina is a traditional Moroccan dish that can be enjoyed both as a refreshing summer salad and as a comforting winter soup. It originated as a creative “end-of-the-week” meal, prepared with whatever ingredients were left before heading to the souk.
With tomatoes, bell peppers, celery, capers, and preserved lemon, it is a characterful dish where simplicity and tradition come together.
A Dish Born Out of Necessity
Merk Hzina was traditionally prepared when pantry supplies were running low and market day had yet to arrive. Whatever remained in the kitchen was combined into a vibrant and flavorful whole.
In English, you might call it an “everything but the kitchen sink” salad: a creative mix of simple ingredients that together create something unexpectedly delightful. Its charm lies precisely in that simplicity.
Is It a Soup or a Salad?
Both.
In summer, the ingredients are mixed raw into a fresh and juicy salad. In winter, the same ingredients are gently simmered into a warming soup.
It’s not the ingredients that change, but the preparation method. Seasonal cooking in its purest form.
The Flavor Profile: Fresh, Salty, and Citrusy
Sweet bell peppers and ripe tomatoes provide body.
Capers add a salty, briny note.
Preserved lemon delivers that distinctive North African depth and brightness.
Red wine vinegar and fresh lemon juice bring lively acidity, while extra virgin olive oil ties everything together into a harmonious whole.
The result is a simple yet expressive dish that pairs beautifully with bread, grilled fish, or as part of a mezze platter.
Recipe: Moroccan Salad (Merk Hzina)
Ingredients
- 450 g cherry tomatoes
- 450 g sweet peppers
- 2 celery stalks + a handful of celery leaves
- 1 tablespoon preserved lemon peel (finely chopped)
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- Juice of ½ fresh lemon
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 pinches coarse sea salt
Method
- Halve the cherry tomatoes.
- Dice the peppers and celery into small cubes.
- Combine in a large bowl.
- Add preserved lemon, capers, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil and salt.
- Mix well.
- Finish with the reserved celery leaves.
Serve immediately as a salad.
To turn it into a soup, simmer everything gently for 20–30 minutes and serve warm.
