Ingredient appreciation — what makes Mechouia Salad special

What sets Mechouia Salad apart is the handling of preserved lemon. In lesser versions this is treated as a background note. Here it's central and the bright with preserved lemon result shows it. I've started buying it to cook with at home after this experience.

Tunisian cuisine is the spiciest of the Maghreb cuisines thanks to the importance of harissa. The a family couscous Friday atmosphere was right for this kind of food. I had fresh lemon juice as recommended and it matched well. If you want to understand what makes this cuisine distinctive, Mechouia Salad is the place to start.