The Acropolis Greek Salad

This past summer has been a tough year for those trying to grow tomatoes around Thessaloniki and here in Halkidiki. I can’t speak for the rest of Greece but many homeowners complained of a cold Spring followed by an unrelenting hot summer and a bug that would eat the tomato plants from inside out.

My parents came here late and some of the t0mato crop survived and we’re enjoying the fruits of their labours now with deep red, sweet, meat yet juicy tomatoes that are remarkably delicious all on their own. Our summer home is just a few minutes walk from the sea and I’m sure that sea breeze has licked these tomatoes.

Tomatoes are one of the pillars of making a good Greek salad. If you’re going to make a Greek salad (us Greeks call it a Horiatiki or Village) you should make it now while tomatoes are in season. I’ve posted on a proper Greek Salad before but I wanted to share this stylized version of it….there’s some elevation and I wanted to say thank you to Acropolis Organics who’s been providing the olive oil for the past three Greek Supper Clubs I’ve organized.

Acropolis Organics brings you the best of Cretan olive oil from the Kissamos region of Chania and this Toronto-based company has been remarkable in distributing its oil across Canada. I’ve named this version of the Greek salad “Acropolis” as this means the highest point in a village, town or city.

This Greek salad is fancy but still very easy to reproduce and all the ingredients are the same: ripe, in season tomatoes, green peppers, sweet red onions, cucumbers, Kalamata olives and Greek extra-virgin olive oil. Some sea salt, Feta cheese (of course its Greek) and dried Greek oregano and you’ve completed your Greek salad.

To reproduce the Acropolis Greek salad first cut your tomatoes into wedges and lay your foundation. Next up, cut your cucumbers into 1/2 inch thick sticks and lay on top of the tomatoes. Now cut your peppers into slender slices and lay those on top. Season with sea salt, gently place your sliced onions and olives on the salad and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle dried Greek oregano.

The only extra ingredient you may need is some good crusty bread to mop-up the sauce created from the juices of the vegetables and the olive oil. Go on….dunk away…its the Greek thing to do!