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How Do You Make Your Greek Village Salad?

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blopez34

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I got turned onto this salad recently and I realize that it's such a nice change of pace from the salads I usually make. I love how it doesn't use lettuce because I don't always seem to have it on hand.

Here is the combination I like for mine. How do you guys like making it?

- tomatoes
- cucumber
- green bell peppers
- red onion or scallion
- kalamata olives
- feta cheese
- plenty of olive oil
- oregano

I like it a bit room temperature so after I make it, I set it on the counter for maybe 45 minutes before I dive in. It also gives the flavors a chance to meld together. I would like to try making other combinations!
 
So, I don't like raw onions and I love capers. So, this is what I do - it is a bit different than what you listed, but your version sounds good too:

- tomatoes
- cucumbers
- Greek olives of any kind
- Feta
- Caper berries (the big berries)
- Bell peppers of any color
- Fresh oregano from my plant!
- Greek olive oil that I brought back from Crete
 
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blopez34 said:
I got turned onto this salad recently and I realize that it's such a nice change of pace from the salads I usually make. I love how it doesn't use lettuce because I don't always seem to have it on hand.

Here is the combination I like for mine. How do you guys like making it?

- tomatoes
- cucumber
- green bell peppers
- red onion or scallion
- kalamata olives
- feta cheese
- plenty of olive oil
- oregano

I like it a bit room temperature so after I make it, I set it on the counter for maybe 45 minutes before I dive in. It also gives the flavors a chance to meld together. I would like to try making other combinations!
Click to expand...
That sounds good to me. You do need some kind of acid in the dressing, either vinegar (red wine, not white) or lemon juice. I prefer vinegar. While traditional Greek salad does not have lettuce, some of us here in the US use lettuce, nothing wrong with that. While some use a variety of parts of each, I like close to equal parts of oil and vinegar, with the vinegar being less in proportion. Have seen many recipes that use Dijon mustard in the dressing, but I've not used that, don't recall anyone in my family using it either.

The oregano should be Greek oregano, either purchased at an ethnic grocery or online. Do you know the variety you're growing? If you like it, that's fine. But an FYI, oregano in regular grocery stores, is not the right flavor. Greek oregano is fairly strong and pungent and makes its presence known!

As for other ingredients, some garbanzo beans are nice, maybe a bit of chopped fresh parsley or some sliced radishes, sometimes I'll add a bit of chopped fresh mint, if I have it. I chop one or two cloves of garlic and let sit in the vinegar for about 10 minutes, as it takes away the rawness of the garlic, and combine that with the olive oil, usually shake in a jar, and pour on salad.

I like the salad best at room temp like you said; it's not the same cold, especially the tomatoes.
 
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Luana said:
That sounds good to me. You do need some kind of acid in the dressing, either vinegar (red wine, not white) or lemon juice. I prefer vinegar. While traditional Greek salad does not have lettuce, some of us here in the US use lettuce, nothing wrong with that. While some use a variety of parts of each, I like close to equal parts of oil and vinegar, with the vinegar being less in proportion. Have seen many recipes that use Dijon mustard in the dressing, but I've not used that, don't recall anyone in my family using it either.

The oregano should be Greek oregano, either purchased at an ethnic grocery or online. Do you know the variety you're growing? If you like it, that's fine. But an FYI, oregano in regular grocery stores, is not the right flavor. Greek oregano is fairly strong and pungent and makes its presence known!

As for other ingredients, some garbanzo beans are nice, maybe a bit of chopped fresh parsley or some sliced radishes, sometimes I'll add a bit of chopped fresh mint, if I have it. I chop one or two cloves of garlic and let sit in the vinegar for about 10 minutes, as it takes away the rawness of the garlic, and combine that with the olive oil, usually shake in a jar, and pour on salad.

I like the salad best at room temp like you said; it's not the same cold, especially the tomatoes.
Click to expand...

These are great tips! I am hesitant about the acid because when the tomatoes are fresh and the juices puddle at the bottom, that seems to have enough acid for my tastes, especially when mixed with the other flavors. But I did notice that when the tomatoes aren't as fresh, the salad could benefit from some acid. I think I am going to start! Thanks for the insights.
 
You're welcome! I do think wine vinegar is an important part of the dressing. Some use ratios that are almost equal, though you could use 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. You might want to try it that way first, and you can always increase the vinegar, and use what you like tastes the best.
 
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Luana said:
You're welcome! I do think wine vinegar is an important part of the dressing. Some use ratios that are almost equal, though you could use 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. You might want to try it that way first, and you can always increase the vinegar, and use what you like tastes the best.
Click to expand...
I have realized it definitely depends on my mood. Thank you for weighing in!
 
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