The Salad of Salads!

Few weekends back we went to Athens and I was looking forward to some Greek food.  That I got but I also discovered that in the effort of some restaurants to show something "different" they are willing to compromise tradition. 

I want talk about The salad ... The food ... The legend!!

The most humble salads of all that was never missing from the table of a Greek house The greek salad!
I have seen it in so many versions some of them quite respectable some of them so badly made that the salad was screaming to be released from the fake name it had! 

Famous chefs tried to recreate it too... That's when I have seen the innocent lettuce leaf appear!!! That's when I wanted to scream and say " lettuce is a winter veg!!! What are you doing adding it into a summer salad?" Obviously lettuce is cheaper and gives the salad more volume.... Restauranters don't want make it different... They want to make it cheaper.

Well to make things clear and seasonal here is the basic recipe of the Greek Salad. Some ingredients can be omitted to taste like onion or olives but adding others instead really does change the taste!

Greek Salad  (for side dish for 4)

4 ruby red tomatoes not cherry if using cherry a punnet will do.
1 cucumber 
1 red onion
a handfull of olives with stones preferably Kalamata
a block of feta cheese
olive oil
oregano
sea salt
quick splash of  balsamic or red wine vinegar
flat leaf parsley
A nice generous bowl so everyone can share!

Chop the tomatoes at least in quarters. Try to buy the best tomatoes you can afford and if they are not ripe enough.. well leave the salad for the next day or after. Wash and peel the cucumber  by leaving alternated dark green stripes, makes it prettier on the plate.  Both tomatoes and cucumber go in the bowl
Chop the onion in half and rub it in your palms with some sea salt. My grandmother said that made the onion sweeter! 

Then wash it of the salt and chop it in thin slices and throw on top of the tomatoes and cucumber. Add a pinch of salt now and mix as you do not want salt on your salty olives and feta cheese. Add the olives on top and then the block of feta. You can either cube it or leave it whole on top of the salad. Mix the olive oil with the oregano and a few drops of good quality red wine or balsamic vinegar and pour on top of the cheese and the rest of the salad. Chop your parsley and add a few leaves on top. You are good to go!! Do not forget the bread for some serious dipping in the salad bowl!!!!!

Enjoy!!!