After a break from the blog and all things social media but not social😉, it seemed appropriate to kick off the closing days of summer with a recipe for the most timeless salads. The Horiatiki or Greek salad. For me, the benchmark for any Greek Taverna is the quality of their Greek salad. The secret, of course, fresh ingredients, good quality olive oil and a generous slice of creamy feta. Serve the salad in a large shallow bowl. Not too deep, so you can toss the ingredients at the table, coating everything in olive oil.

Choosing your ingredients

In addition to the tomatoes, cucumber and feta, a good greek salad needs finely cut white or red onions and green peppers. Add a generous spoon of capers, a handful of purslane or rocket, and two or three black olives. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt to bring out the flavour of the tomatoes and a generous coating of olive oil. You can also add a small dash of good-quality vinegar, but if your ingredients are fresh, you won’t need it.

Horiatiki Salad Preparation

Quarter the tomatoes, cut the cucumbers into small rings, and peel them if they are not organic. Slice the onion as finely as you dare. The onion preference here depends on whether you like red onion’s more robust flavour over white onion’s sweetness. Spring onions are also a great addition. Layer the ingredients in a large shallow bowl. Start with the tomatoes and then the cucumber; add your purslane or rocket and top with the onions. Add the salt, oil and feta just before your want to serve. The tomatoes and cucumbers will become too watery if you add the salt in advance.

Traditionally served whole on the salad, the feta is tossed into the salad at the table. The final touch is a generous sprinkle of dried oregano and an extra drizzle of olive oil over the feta. I would always use a goat or sheep milk feta, but this is very much down to personal choice🐐😁.

Delicious on its own or with about just about everything. Enjoy while you still can, as the tomato season is soon ending.🙃

For more salad inspiration, click here

Greek salad (Horiatiki)

Fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, onions, feta cheese, capers and a little rocket doused in plenty of extra virgin olive oil.

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Course: appetizer, lunch, side dish

Cuisine: Greek

Keyword: easy, healthy

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Servings:2

Author: The Wild Epicurean

Equipment

• 1 large shallow bowl

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Ingredients

• 3 ripe fresh tomatoes
• 1 small cucumber
• 1 small green pepper finely sliced into rings (ideally the pale green thinner pepper)
• ½ onion cut into fine slices
• handful rocket leaves or purslane optional
• 1 tbsp capers
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 4-5 black olives
• 100 g feta (in one slice)
• Greek olive oil!
• ½ tsp salt

Instructions

• Cut the tomatoes into a quarter and arrange them in the bottom of the bowl. If organic, there is no need to peel the cucumber. Cut into generous disks or larger chunks (peeled per the Tseta Taverna) and mix the tomatoes with the rocket (if using). Add a layer of finely cut green peppers and onions and sprinkle over the capers.
• If serving immediately, add a little salt and olive oil. You can add apple vinegar if you think the salad needs it. We tend to add vinegar if the tomatoes are not super juicy in the spring and autumn.
• Decorate with a slice of feta and black olives; sprinkle the feta with the oregano and a little more olive oil.
• Toss the salad at the table, breaking up the feta so everyone gets their share. Serve with plently of fresh bread.

Notes

Remember that ‘Horiatiki’ means village salad, local produce is chopped and added to a large bowl with plenty of olive oil and the chopping is not always that fine! 

It appears on most Greek tables every day.