Horiatiki Salata (Hearty Greek Salad)
SERVES 4 AS A MAIN DISH OR 6 TO 8 AS A SIDE DISH
TIME 25 MINUTES, PLUS 30 MINUTES SALTING
Soaking the sliced onion in ice water tempers its heat and bite. Use only large, round tomatoes here, not Roma or cherry varieties, and use the ripest in-season tomatoes you can find. A fresh, fruity, peppery olive oil works well here if you have it. We prefer to use feta by Real Greek Feta or Dodoni in this recipe. The salad can be served with crusty bread as a light meal for four.
Ingredients
1 ¾ pounds tomatoes, cored
1 ¼ teaspoons table salt, divided
½ red onion, sliced thin
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano, plus extra for seasoning
½ teaspoon pepper
1 English cucumber, quartered lengthwise and cut into
¾ – inch chunks
1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 2 by
½ – inch strips
1 cup pitted kalamata olives
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 (8-ounce) block feta cheese, sliced into ½ – inch thick triangles
1. Cut tomatoes into ½ -inch-thick wedges. Cut wedges in half crosswise. Toss tomatoes and ½ teaspoon salt together in colander set in large bowl. Let drain for 30 minutes. Place onion in small bowl, cover with ice water, and let sit for 15 minutes. Whisk vinegar, oregano, pepper, and remaining ¾ teaspoon salt together in second small bowl.
2. Discard tomato juice and transfer tomatoes to now-empty bowl. Drain onion and add to bowl with tomatoes. Add vinegar mixture, cucumber, bell pepper, olives, and capers and toss to combine. Drizzle with ¼ cup oil and toss gently to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to serving platter and top with feta. Season each slice of feta with extra oregano to taste. Drizzle feta with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Serve.
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Photo Credit: America’s Test Kitchen