A Traditional Greek Country Salad

Horiatiki Salata










INGREDIENTS:
serves 4

* 1 kg (1000 g) hard salad tomatoes
* 1 medium sized red onion
* 1 green bell pepper
* 1 cucumber
* ab. 80 g Kalamata black olives
* ab. 180 g Feta Cheese, diced, sliced or crumbled
* dried oregano
* 80 g (80 ml) olive oil
* red wine vinegar (or lemon juice) and salt to taste

METHOD:
1. Cut the tomatoes in segments and the cucumber in slices.
2. Arrange on a plate and season with salt to taste.
3. Add the onion and the green pepper cut in thin rings.
4. Add dried oregano, the Feta Cheese and olives.
5. Pour the olive oil and vinegar to taste over the salad. Too much vinegar makes the salad too sour.

If you should ever find yourselves in the Greek countryside or on any of the beatiful islands of Greece, seek out the Greek Country Salad.

My husband and I visited Greece in 1993, and again in 1995. There, in small in size taverns we found the most delicious "Horiatiki salatas" for our lunches or snacks.

Why does this salad tastes so good in Greece?

The Greek olive oil - probably the best in the world.
The olives of Kalamata - smooth and with a meatlike taste.
Feta Cheese - the most popular cheese in Greece; an excellent accompaniment to this salad.
Oregano - a low bush, which grows throughout all Greece; tastes more like oregano than most oreganos. This herb is used extensively in Greek cooking.
The vegetables - onions sweet in taste; perfect tomatoes, cucumbers and bell peppers. I don´t know why, but for some reason vegetables taste better in Greece than they do elsewhere.

However, when the vegetables are in season, everyone can make an awesome Greek Country Salad - whereever you are. There are other quality olive types and good olive oils. Try to find a Feta cheese which has a rich and creamy taste and a mildly salty edge.

Enjoy!