There are many variations/substitutions/additions to a Greek Salad. The basics are tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, peppers, olives, dried Greek oregano, extra-virgin olive.
In the Cyclades, they will use their local soft, tangy Mizithra instead of Feta, many islands add barley rusks making it a panzanella, additons of capers or caper leaves, purslane garnish, use of pickled hot peppers, using local olives.
On Crete, the most well known “salad” is their Dako but I also enjoy their other “Kritiki Salata”…basically a Horiatiki (Greek Salad) with the addition of potatoes and boiled eggs.
Some regions dress their Horiatiki with just olive oil but in this instance, red wine vinegar helps cut the richness. I like the tang in the potatoes and eggs.
Let’s do this!
Cretan-Style Greek Salad
(serves 4)
3 ripe tomatoes, halved and cut into wedges
2 cups of boiled potatoes (halved baby potatoes or quartered regular potatoes)
1/2 cucumber, halved lengthwise then sliced into half-moon shapes
1 cup red or sweet white onion, thinly sliced
1 cup sliced Cubanelle or sweet banana peppers
5 hard boiled eggs, quartered
2 cups crumbled Feta cheese
1/2 cup Cretan extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
sea salt to taste
fresh ground pepper
half cup Kalamata or sun-dried olives (throumpa)
2 tsp. dried Greek oregano
purslane or micro-greens for garnish
- Place your cut tomatoes in a bowl, season with salt. Let stand for 15 minutes (this draws out some tasty juices from the tomatoes, making for an even more delicious dressing you’ll mop up with bread).
- Add the potatoes, cucumbers, onions, peppers, half the eggs, half the Feta, olive oil, vinegar and toss.
- Top with olives, remaining eggs, remaining Feta, oregano and ground pepper, purslane. Serve with crusty bread.
