I love a good Greek salad…unfortunately, it’s hard to find a good one at most restaurants because the dressing tends to be too “vinegar-y”, or too oily, or not salty enough or just too soggy….So, most of the time, if I want to really enjoy a good one, I make it at home. One little twist I picked up from fellow Greek chef Michael Psilakis, is breading small cubes of feta cheese and throwing that into the salad instead of the cheese cubes au naturale… I was hooked the first time I tried it. The key is to keep the cubes warm while you are preparing the salad, so that the cheese stays warm and gooey inside, and throw them on the salad right before you are ready to serve it. Also, make sure you get a reasonably decent quality of feta for this. It should be nice and creamy, but hold together well. The ones that are too creamy or too dry will not turn out well. When frying the cubes, make sure to keep your oil moderately high, because if it is too hot, the breading will become too dark. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
Greek Salad Components (serves 2)
1 large head of romaine lettuce, rinse chop and drain well
1/2 medium tomato, sliced thinly
1/4 hydroponic seedless cucumber, sliced thinly
1/4 red onion or sweet vidalia onion
1/2 cup pitted, chopped kalamata olives
1 cup breaded feta cheese cubes (cubed then dipped in flour, eggwash and breading then fried)
Vinaigrette Dressing (enough for 3 salads)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar (or lemon juice)
1/4 teaspoon salt (add more if you like)
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
Add the oil to a bowl with a flat bottom so that you can whisk the ingredients together. Slowly add the vinegar to create an emulsion, and the mixture will start looking “creamy” as it comes together. Add the rest of the ingredients and then check for salt and pepper. If you need to add more, add a little at a time. Once you have the dressing tasting the way you like it, throw in the vegetables and toss well. Lastly, top with the breaded, warm feta cubes and dig in.
Leave a Reply