Horiatiki Salad with Golden Greek Peperoncini
Horiatiki Salad with Golden Greek Peperoncini combines the freshest ingredients of seasonal tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, red onions, tangy kalamata olives and creamy feta with mildly piquant, fruity flavor Mezzetta Peperoncini.
Horiatiki Salad with Golden Greek Peperoncini combines the freshest ingredients of seasonal tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, red onions, tangy kalamata olives and creamy feta with mildly piquant, fruity flavor Mezzetta Peperoncini.
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground)
- 1/2 cup olive oil (extra virgin)
- 2 cups tomatoes (halved or cubed)
- 2 cups cucumber (english cubed)
- 1 bell pepper (green sliced)
- 1/2 red onion (medium sliced)
- 1/2 cup olives (kalamata)
- 1/2 cup peperoncini (golden greek mezzetta)
- 7 oz feta cheese (in a block)
- 2 tbsp vinegar (red wine)
- Carbohydrate 0.110983888717076 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 18.0172644596334 g
- Fiber 0.0728055541698565 g
- Protein 0.0189416666373333 g
- Saturated Fat 2.48992777987175 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (51g)
- Sodium 0.387444444708771 mg
- Sugar 0.0381783345472191 g
- Trans Fat 0.490264444851996 g
- Calories 160 calories
Step-by-step
- If using cherry tomatoes, then cut them in half. If using Roma or Beefsteak tomatoes, cut them in 1 inch cubes;
- Partially peel a cucumber and cut it into cubes, similar in size to the tomatoes;
- Cut the Bell pepper and onion in thin slices or rings;
- Place the vegetables into a bowl, then add olives and peperonicini;
- Combine all dressing ingredients and pour over the salad; then mix well and place onto a serving dish;
- Top salad with a block of feta & serve immediately (or sooner) with a crusty bread.
Most people ruin this dish by refrigerating the tomatoes before cutting them, which destroys their cell walls and mutes their natural sugars. Bringing summer tomatoes to 68 degrees Fahrenheit before assembly restores their aromatic volatile compounds. Balancing raw produce against heavily preserved elements requires careful attention to moisture content and acid levels.
The Raw Elements
English cucumbers require only partial peeling because alternating stripes of skin preserve necessary structural crunch while reducing bitterness. Slicing green bell peppers into thin rings rather than chunks maximizes surface area, allowing the olive oil and red wine vinegar mixture to penetrate the flesh effectively. Cube tomatoes uniformly to match the geometry of the cucumber pieces, ensuring every spoonful contains proportional textures.The Preserved Components
Golden Greek peperoncini and Kalamata olives introduce sharp saline notes that offset the rich, fatty profile of the block of sheep's milk feta. Whisking the extra virgin olive oil with red wine vinegar, dried oregano, salt, and freshly ground black pepper creates an emulsion that coats the vegetables without pooling excessively at the bottom of the bowl. Leaving the feta cheese as an intact block on top rather than crumbling it prevents the brine from turning the entire mixture muddy.Dietary Adjustments
Omit the dairy element entirely to convert this preparation into a strict vegan dish without altering the core technique. Replacing the standard feta with a firm plant-based block maintains the visual presentation while accommodating dairy allergies. Crusty bread served alongside absorbs the remaining seasoned oil and tomato juices.
