A tantalising dream
Ahhh the holy Greek salad… A tantalising dream that lingers around everyones imagination when they think of Greece. The delicious sweet sun-ripened tomatoes… The crisp white cucumbers… A tang of onion… A shock of salty feta… Finished off with a creamy home pressed olive oil, and more often than not, a view of the blue blue sea.
This is the Greek salad of our dreams. The salad that we think about, when we go back home to reality. When we look out the window, sprinkled with specks of rain. The salad that pops into our mind, when we see an advert of a Greek beach, shimmering with almost unrealistically brilliant light. It’s the salad that I’ve been thinking about for months and months. Knowing that soon I will be back in Greece, enjoying these mouthwatering flavours.
Fresh ingredients make the best Greek salad
And the time has finally come. I am so happy to be back in summery Kefalonia for a few weeks. Yesterday I sat in my favourite restaurant by the sea in Agia Efimia, and enjoyed one of their glorious Greek salads. So, I couldn’t resist dedicating my next post to this delicious dish. We find so many variations of the Greek salad. In restaurants, cafes, supermarkets, and even in game farms in the middle of Africa. In reality, its success comes down to one simple thing. Only the very best fresh ingredients, will make a good Greek salad. This is my real Greek salad recipe, exactly as I’ve eaten it for years in restaurants and at home.
In order for the dish to be as authentic as possible, it’s important to try and match the flavours of the Greek ingredients. Try and find the ripest tomatoes possible, and the very freshest mildest red onions. The olive oil must be extra virgin and very good quality, and try and use a mild red wine vinegar. It is difficult to match the flavour of dried Greek oregano. So, make sure that the oregano you are using is a good quality brand, and as fresh as possible. (Even better, ask a Greek friend to bring you some from Greece! My suitcase is always bulging with the stuff). Try and use good quality Kalamata olives. One ingredient which isn’t totally traditional, but that many people add for a bit of extra luxury, is capers. I just love the extra tangy, salty and vinegary flavour that they bring to this rustic dish.
The Real Greek Salad
Print This
Ingredients
- 2 large very ripe red tomatoes, at room temperature*
- 1/4 cucumber
- 1/2 green pepper
- 1 small young red onion
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Drizzle of olive oil
- Drizzle of red wine vinegar
- Greek dried oregano
- A few Kalamata olives
- A handfuls of capers, rinsed and dried (optional)
- 200g feta (in one slice)
- Crusty bread to serve
Instructions
- Slice the tomatoes in half and remove the core. Slice into quarters and then in half again. You want to have bite sized chunks.
- Halve the cucumber lengthways, and then cut into slices. With a small knife, cut away any membrane and remove the seeds from the green pepper. Place the pepper on its side, and then thinly slice it into rings.
- Slice the onion in half, and peel. Slice ‘Chinese style’ – this means into slices through the root, perpendicular to slicing your onion into rings.
- Place the sliced cucumbers and tomato chunks in a salad bowl. Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper and a sprinkle of dried oregano. Drizzle generously with olive oil and a dash of red wine vinegar and toss through. Sprinkle the green pepper rings and slices of onion on top. Sprinkle around a few olives and if you like, a handful of capers.
- Place the slice of feta on top of the salad, then drizzle with a little more olive oil and a sprinkle of dried oregano.
- Serve with crusty bread on a hot summers day.
Notes
*Tomatoes should not be stored in the fridge, as it causes them to get a floury texture. Rather store them in a fruit bowl on your counter. This will allow them to have maximum juiciness and sweetness. As they will not last as long, rather buy less, more often.
