Greek Salad Image Used Under Creative Commons License From Wikipedia
Greek salad is perhaps one of the most beloved salads to be found – and what’s not to like? Lettuce, tomato, cucumber, olives and feta cheese find a beautiful harmony in a lemon-scented dressing perhaps tied together with the saltiness of anchovy fillets.
Truly, a more bountiful bowl of greenery has rarely graced a table!
As noted on eftours.com:
In Greece, we call it ‘Horiatiki’, which means village or peasant salad – basically a combination of tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, green peppers, olives and feta cheese, dressed in olive oil and sprinkled with oregano.
Please also note that an authentic Greek salad does not include lettuce. It is quite common for Greeks to eat seasonally. A Greek salad is primarily a summer dish, and since lettuce only grows in Greece during the winter months a traditional ‘Horiatiki’ salad does not include lettuce.
From its Greek name we assume that it was a rural dish. It is true that the salad’s essential ingredients were often what a farmer would take to the field for his mid-morning snack, only he would keep the ingredients uncut and wrapped in a cloth with a piece of bread.
When the time came, he would bite straight into his chunk of feta, his tomato and even (quite heroically) his onion!
The salad’s exact origin is debatable, but one thing we can be sure of is that the Greek Salad is not part of the country’s long established traditional cuisine.
We know this because, incredibly, the tomato did not become popular in Greece until the end of the 19th, beginning of the 20th century. This is hard to believe, considering how fast it’s made itself a home here in Greece.
My American version of the Greek original includes capers, oregano, sweet and hot chopped peppadew peppers (found at many supermarket deli counters) as well as a spicy kick in the ass from some hot chili oil, because TFD digs the spicy.
Follow my recipe and you too will storm the gates of the culinary Mount Olympus to challenge the very Gods themselves, my Citizens! 🙂
Battle on – The Generalissimo
Ingredients
- 1 head Romaine Lettuce, Chopped
- 3 whole Ripe Tomatoes, Deseeded and Cut Into Small Wedges
- 1 whole (large) Asian Cucumber, Peeled, Cut Into Fourths Lengthwise, And Diced Into Small Chunks
- 8 Peppadew peppers, chopped
- ½ whole Red Onion, Sliced Very Thin
- 2 tablespoons Capers
- 30 whole Pitted Kalamata Olives, Cut In Half Lengthwise
- 6 ounces, by weight Crumbled Feta Cheese - try and get Bulgarian, French or Greek feta (in that order)
- Fresh Parsley, Roughly Chopped
- ¼ cup Olive Oil
- ½ tablespoon Hirshon Sichuan Chili Oil or some of the liquid the Peppadew peppers come packed in (optional)
- 2 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Greek Oregano, Rubbed Between the Palms
- 1 teaspoon Sugar (More To Taste)
- 1 clove Garlic, Minced
- 6 whole Kalamata Olives (extra), Chopped Fine
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- Freshly-Ground Black Pepper
- 1 whole Lemon, For Squeezing
- 1 bottle of Ortiz Anchovy Fillets (no other brand will do!)
Instructions
- Add chopped lettuce, tomato wedges, cucumber chunks, chopped Peppadews, onion slices, halved Kalamata olives, half the feta, and parsley to a large bowl.
- Mash the capers, then combine with olive oil, chili oil, vinegar, oregano, sugar, garlic, salt, pepper, and chopped olives in a bowl. Whisk together until combined. Taste and adjust seasonings.
- Pour dressing over salad ingredients, then add salt and pepper. Toss with tongs or clean hands. Just before serving, top with additional feta, a LOT of anchovies, a dusting of oregano and squeeze a little lemon juice over the top.
