Finally, cold weather has arrived and those hearty winter dishes we’ve all been waiting for are making it to the table. The pot roast and mashed potatoes, biscuits and gravy, chicken and dumplings, and Sunday lasagna are back for the season. It’s so satisfying and everything smells marvelous and is just so much delicious food. In the morning after one of those winter craving kinds of dinners I kind of feel like a roly-poly caterpillar, and not one that will turn into a butterfly. Last weekend there was a request to create a Greek dinner, lamb, moussaka – all that good stuff – and it seemed like a Greek salad would fit in perfectly. Recently friends had shared tales of their family trips to Greece, their Greek heritage, which of course involved food, and even running a marathon on their last trip. Suddenly Greek food was a must have. The last Greek Salad sampled in my family was from The Greek Festival in early September. Time to pull out the recipe file and find handwritten notes for a Greek Salad a friend’s mother always made. The dressing is just simple lemony goodness with a serious hit of oregano. After creating the foundation for the salad with a bowl of chopped romaine lettuce, the rest is a matter of taste. It wouldn’t be a Greek Salad without feta cheese and black olives. Onions and celery add the crunch, marinated peppers give the zing and tomatoes are just plain necessary. I like to add well drained chick peas and a few anchovies never hurt. There should have been artichoke hearts, but alas the last can had been consumed. Cucumbers have a right to be there, but sadly would be a cause for total rejection by one member of the family.
The dressing is a make-ahead and shake-up in a jar kind of affair. The salad can be put together and wait in the fridge for a few hours before dressing, tossing and serving. That means you are free to roast a lamb with some potatoes or grill chicken and not worry about the rest of the meal. A salad recipe like that is worth keeping around for any day of the week or any season. The dressing also makes a divine marinade for anything you plan to grill or roast. You’ll be so happy you’ve added this salad to a big cold weather feast. And maybe you will feel like that butterfly instead of the caterpillar the next day. Enjoy!
Dressing Ingredients
6 Tbsp. olive oil
Juice from 2 lemons
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 tsp oregano
½ tsp salt (more if desired)
½ tsp pepper
(confession: I add a small spoonful of honey just to keep everything balanced.)
Salad Ingredients
2 large heads of romaine lettuce, chopped
2 sticks celery, sliced
½ small onion, sliced
¼ cup black or Kalamata olives
1 cup cherry tomatoes cut in half (or good tomatoes in season)
¼ cup marinated red pepper or pickled jalapeno pepper
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
Anchovies (if desired)
Other possible ingredients include: chick peas, anchovies, cucumbers, artichoke hearts, carrots – check the fridge you may find more ideas. Visit the grocery salad bar for small portions of toppings.
Directions
Add dressing ingredients to a jar with a tight lid and shake to combine.
Layer a large salad bowl with chopped romaine lettuce.
Add toppings.
The salad may sit I the refrigerator for several hours before dressing, tossing and serving.
It’s best very cold!
