Greek Delight!!
Stunning, fresh, easy and beautiful, this salad comes together in no time and is rich with the flavors of Greece.
In this salad, the Castelvetrano olives are meaty and buttery, green Zebra tomatoes are bright and tangy, green onions are pungent, and the feta cheese is creamy and salty. Together, they create great contrasts of texture and flavor. The fresh, peppery and bold oregano and softer, sweeter Greek basil balance each other out perfectly. The Tuscan Herb and Lemon EVOOs combine to provide a nice citrusy herby dressing that is reminiscent of all the familiar Greek flavors and the Marc de Champagne vinegar adds a subtle sweetness that offsets the crushed green peppers.
A fun and easy salad to make – you can certainly just chop the cucumber, but BE BRAVE and play with the peeler to make these long, shaved pieces that add elegance without adding time to the prep.
In many ways, this salad is the essence of who I am as a chef – I love the ease of preparation relative to the beauty of the finished product. I love the textures, the competing but complementary flavors, and of course, the taste. Creating this just made me happy!
OPA!!
Green Greek Salad
Ingredients
2 English cucumbers (seedless)
2 Green tomatoes (Zebra tomatoes)
½ cup O&V Castelvetrano Olives *
¼ cup sliced green onions
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese (exclude to make vegan)
2 teaspoons fresh oregano (plus more for garnish)
1 teaspoon fresh Greek basil
2 tablespoons O&V Tuscan Herb EVOO *
1 tablespoon O&V Lemon EVOO *
1 ½ tablespoon Marc de Champagne vinegar *
½ – ¾ teaspoon cracked green pepper (to taste)
½ teaspoon O&V Fleur de Sel *
Preparation
Shave the cucumbers length wise using a vegetable peeler to get long thin strips. Arrange the strips in bowls or plates.
Arrange the tomatoes and olives on the cucumbers. Sprinkle with green onions, feta, oregano, basil.
In a small bowl, whisk together the Tuscan Herb EVOO, Lemon EVOO and Marc de Champagne vinegar. Drizzle over the cucumbers, tomatoes and olives. Sprinkle with cracked green peppers and fleur de sel. Serve immediately.
Serves 2-4
Total time: 15 minutes
Notes
* The Tuscan Herb EVOO and Lemon EVOO combine to provide a nice blend of citrusy herby flavor along with the light, crisp, subtle sweetness of the Marc de Champagne vinegar. Together they accentuate the essence of the Greek flavor profile. You can substitute any of these with similar high-quality ingredients, but it is this combination that truly makes the dish!
The Castelvetrano olives and Fleur de Sel are delicious, of high quality and available at most Oil & Vinegar stores. You can use other high-quality ingredients as substitutes.
Categories: Soups & Salads, Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Green Greek Salad, Cucumber Salad, Castelvetrano Olives, Lemon EVOO, Tuscan Herb EVOO, Marc de Champagne Vinegar, Fleur de Sel, Zebra Tomatoes, Greek Basil, Oregano, Green Peppers, Elegant Salad, Easy Salad,
