A Greek Salad Fit for the Gods

Summer time is salad time, and this Greek-style salad is perfect for indoor or outdoor dining. I took this to a Greek-themed birthday potluck and it was a huge hit with the crowd. The only problem was that tomatoes are required to call it a Greek salad and local tomatoes won't be around for a couple of months. I did run across some early heirlooms at the store and used as few as I could get away with and still legitimately call it Greek.

This style is basically a chopped salad, so you can make it with just about any vegetables you want, like bell peppers, cauliflower, romanesco or whatever strikes your fancy. And I loved the pickle-y tartness from the artichoke hearts and pickled peppers that I got, along with the olives, from the olive bar at my local store. Also, most Greek salads are way too chunky for me, so I tore the lettuce into bite-sized pieces and chopped the vegetables into half-inch or so cubes. If you like it chunkier, though, feel free to do that!

Greek Style Summer Salad

For the dressing:
1 c. olive oil
Juice of 2 lemons
1 tsp. dried oregano or 2 Tbsp. fresh oregano leaves, chopped fine
1 Tbsp. Dijon-style mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

For the salad:
2 med. heads romaine lettuce, washed
2 c. artichoke hearts, chopped
1/2 c. Mama Lil's Mildly Spicy Peppers, chopped
1 c. kalamata olives, chopped
1 red onion, quartered and thinly sliced
2 English cucumbers, seeded and chopped in 1/2" cubes
4 ripe tomatoes, chopped in 1/2" cubes
1 c. feta cheese, crumbled

In a tub or bowl with a tight-fitting lid (I use a clean salsa container), combine all the ingredients for the dressing. Put the lid on and shake hard for 30 seconds. Allow to stand at room temperature while you combine the salad ingredients.

In a very large salad bowl, tear the romaine into bite-size pieces. Add the rest of the ingredients and the dressing and toss.