Is there anything better in the summer than a vine-ripened tomato, particularly the really ugly, misshapen ones that are loaded with flavor and vibrant in color (unlike those pale, tasteless, store-bought tomatoes that are available year round).
Did you know that there are over 7,500 varieties of tomatoes?
I’ve had my share of Greek salads (aka Horiatiki salata or village salad) in traveling through Greece. Had a few really good ones, but have yet to find one made with anything other than your standard red tomato. That’s what’s great about preparing dishes yourself at home. You can put whatever you like in your Greek salad, including an assortment of ripe, juicy heirlooms bursting with flavor.
I’ve included a few suggestions for “traditional” and “not so traditional” ingredients to incorporate into your salad. Add whatever happens to be in season, top with a generous amount of good quality extra virgin olive oil, a sprinkling of coarse sea salt, and you can’t go wrong. “Make [food] simple and let things taste of what they are.” — Curnonsky (Maurice Edmond Sailland)
My Big Fat “Greek” Salad
Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Olives
Fresh basil leaves
Garlic chives
Pumpkin seeds (dry roasted in a skillet, until they start to pop)
Hot peppers (such as Hungarian hot wax pepper) to add a little kick
Sea beans
