21. Greek Salad

Every so often I proclaim it “Greek Night!” and make up a mess of Mediterranean food.  This one has been center stage for years.  It’s a Barefoot Contessa recipe, and slightly different than the usual greek salad with leafy greens.  It has the perfect balance of crunchy veggies and creamy feta and is oh so yummy.  It’s delicious with grilled or roasted chicken (or lamb), a little hummus, a little tabouli, some flatbread and a few dolmas.  If you’re feeling really ambitious I have a great recipe for spanokopitas....Opa!

Ingredients

1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and chopped

1 red bell pepper, large-diced 

1 yellow bell pepper, large-diced 

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved 

1/2 red onion, sliced in half-rounds 

1/2 pound feta cheese, 1/2-inch diced (not crumbled) 

1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved lengthwise

Dressing

2 cloves garlic, minced 

1 tsp dried oregano 

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard 

1/4 cup good red wine vinegar 

1 tsp kosher salt 

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

1/2 cup good olive oil 

Directions

Place the cucumber, peppers, tomatoes and red onion in a large bowl. 

Whisk together the garlic, oregano, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Still whisking, slowly add the olive oil to make an emulsion. Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables. Add the feta and olives and toss lightly. Set aside for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Serve at room temperature. 

Serves 6