Greek Salad - 1

Name: Greek Salad - 1
Ingredients: 1 large Kos lettuce (or other fresh and crisp lettuce); 1-2 large red onion (or other mild onion); 1-2 large green pepper or capsicum or bell pepper (not chilli); 1 cucumber, average size; 3-5 medium tomatoes (or 10-15 small cherry tomatoes); 200gms of feta cheese (preferably Greek); 40 black olives (Greek or other good quality olives), about 10 per person; <b>Dressing:<b>; Juice of 1 lemon; 50-100 ml. of extra virgin Greek olive oil; 1/2 tsp. of ground black pepper; 1 tsp. of dried Oregano (a herb). If oregano is not available, try fresh basil, coriander or parsley leaves.

Horiatiki Salata

Steve Lister

EasyMainQuickStarterVegetarian

No trip to Greece or a Greek Island would be complete if you didn't try the simple but flavoursome salad. To the Greek people it is known as 'Village Salad' and varies from villlage to village. The main ingredients tend to stay the same (Feta cheese and black olives). After a trip to Corfu and many versions of the salad, my version is based on those eaten there and the produce I can manage to get at home. Part of the appeal of this salad is its simplicity, with a good flavour. Serves 4

Ingredients

1 large Kos lettuce (or other fresh and crisp lettuce)
1-2 large red onion (or other mild onion)
1-2 large green pepper or capsicum or bell pepper (not chilli)
1 cucumber, average size
3-5 medium tomatoes (or 10-15 small cherry tomatoes)
200gms of feta cheese (preferably Greek)
40 black olives (Greek or other good quality olives), about 10 per person
Dressing:
Juice of 1 lemon
50-100 ml. of extra virgin Greek olive oil
1/2 tsp. of ground black pepper
1 tsp. of dried Oregano (a herb). If oregano is not available, try fresh basil, coriander or parsley leaves.

Instructions

Shred the lettuce and place in a large mixing bowl.
Finely slice the red onion and green pepper.
Chop the cucumber into large chunks.
Chop tomatoes into large chunks. If you are using cherry tomatoes simply cut in half.
Mix all this together in the bowl.
Making Dressing:
Place oil in a cup, add lemon juice, black pepper oregano or other herbs of choice. Mix well.
Serve out the salad from the bowl on to 4 serving plates.
Cut the Feta cheese in to small cubes and spread around on top of the salads.
Add about 10 olives on each plate.
Drizzle the oil mixture over each portion.
Serve fresh.

Notes

You could add other salad ingredients but don't overcrowd the plate. Thinly sliced radish can also be added, Fresh, tender spinach leaves can be mixed with lettuce leaves. You must use Greek (or Greek Style) Olives to get the correct flavour.
Also see Salad Selection.
Suggestion from Claire Moore: "This salad can be made without the lettuce. Combine ingredients all together gently and cover. Leave to marinade for a good few hours in the fridge and serve as a good side dish to bbq'd lamb or other red meats!! It is really yummy do try it!"

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