Horiatiki: The Proper Village Salad
There is no lettuce in a proper village salad. This dish is a study in textures and the quality of your produce, relying on the contrast between firm vegetables and creamy, sharp cheese.
Temperature is your greatest asset here.
Keep your tomatoes and cucumbers out of the refrigerator for an hour before starting; cold kills the scent of a summer tomato.
- Wide shallow bowl
- Sharp chef's knife
- Wooden board
What goes in.
- 4ripe, heavy tomatoes, cut into irregular wedges
- 1large cucumber, peeled in strips and chopped into thick half-moons
- 1/2red onion, sliced into very thin half-moons
- 1/2 cupKalamata olives, pitted
- 1 tspdried Greek oregano
- 1 blockfeta cheese, approximately 7 ounces
- 3 tbspextra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbspred wine vinegar
Keep the feta whole
Do not crumble the cheese. Place the block of feta directly on top of the vegetables so each person can break off their preferred portion.
The method.
Prep the base
Place the tomato wedges and cucumber chunks into the bottom of your bowl. Add the sliced red onions and olives.
Season
Drizzle the olive oil and red wine vinegar over the vegetables. Sprinkle with salt and the dried oregano.
Assemble
Place the block of feta in the center of the bowl. Sprinkle a little extra oregano over the surface of the cheese.
Serve
Bring the bowl to the table immediately. Use two large spoons to break the cheese and fold the ingredients together just before eating.
Other turns to take.
Green Pepper
Add one small green bell pepper, deseeded and chopped into the same size as the cucumber, for extra snap.
Caper Addition
Toss in a tablespoon of rinsed capers for a sharp, salty bite that cuts through the olive oil.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Use a bread with a sturdy crust to mop up the mixture of olive oil, tomato juice, and feta crumbles at the bottom of the bowl.
If your onions are particularly sharp, soak them in cold water for ten minutes and pat dry before adding to the salad.
Choose a feta packed in brine; it is creamier and significantly more flavorful than pre-crumbled varieties.
The ones that keep coming up.
Should I use balsamic vinegar?
No. Stick to red wine vinegar, which provides the necessary acidity to cut through the richness of the oil and cheese.
Can I make this ahead of time?
It is best eaten within 30 minutes of assembly. The longer it sits, the more the salt pulls moisture from the tomatoes, leading to a watery base.
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