When I am in Greece, I like taking walks along the beach and near the beach I frequent in Halkidiki, I discovered a bush growing out of some rocks by the seashore.
I later found out this seaside shrub is edible raw when picked in the springtime. After that, the flavour can become pronounced, so they become pickled and enjoyable as a meze or garnish.
I speak of samphire or as it is called in Greek, “kritamos” (crithmum maritimum). I have a couple of jars in my pantry that I bought from Mastiha Shop but now you may order from my friends at Kolonaki Group.
Pickled samphire makes for a wonderful garnish to a salad, adding tangy acidity to the dish. Today, I am sharing a tomato salad with the tomato cut ‘garifalo’ (carnation) style as one would get it at an ouzeri or kafeneio as a meze with Ouzo or Tsipouro.
My salad is suitable to feed one or as a shareable meze salad for two. Enjoy the salad and don’t forget the kritamo!
Tomato Salad With Samphire
(serves 1)
1 leaf of romaine lettuce (or equivalent your choice of greens)
1 small rusk (paximadi)
1 medium ripe tomato
2-3 Tbsp. Whipped Feta (recipe here)
sea salt and fresh ground pepper
1 heaping Tbsp. of pickled samphire
extra-virgin olive oil to taste
Kalamata olives for garnish
- After you’ve rinsed and dried your lettuce, teat with your hand and place on the bottom of your bowl.
- Run the rusk briefly under your tap to wet then break with your hands and place in your bowl.
- Remove the stem of your tomato and cut the tomato into wedges but keep intact so the tomato keeps it’s round “blooming” shape. Place on the rusks.
- Sprinkle tomato with sea salt and top with whipped Feta.
- Top with a mound of pickled samphire and drizzle with olive oil.
- Garnish with olives and serve.
Other ideas for samphire/kritamo: serve on grilled fish, octopus, canned fish
