Greek Salad with Feta and Kalamata Olives

Ingredients

For the recipe

• 600 g ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into substantial wedges or irregular bite-size pieces
• 300 g cucumber, trimmed weight, preferably a thin-skinned variety
• 1 medium green bell pepper (150 g after removing the stem and seeds)
• 1 small red onion (80 g peeled), very thinly sliced
• 80 g Kalamata olives, weighed after draining and pitting
• 200 g feta cheese, weighed after draining
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (45 ml; approximately 40.5 g)
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (15 ml)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano (approximately 1 g), divided
• 1/8 teaspoon fine salt (approximately 0.75 g)
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (approximately 0.5 g)
• Cold water, as needed for soaking the onion; drain and discard

Instructions

1. Wash and dry the tomatoes, cucumber and green pepper. Put the sliced onion in a small bowl of cold water for 5-10 minutes while you prepare the vegetables. Drain thoroughly and pat dry to take the sharp edge off its flavor without watering down the salad.
2. Cut the tomatoes into wedges or 2-3 cm pieces and place them in a wide serving bowl. Keep their juices; they will mingle with the dressing rather than being discarded.
3. Halve the cucumber lengthways and cut into chunky half-moons. Leave tender skin on. If it has a large, watery seed core, scrape out just the loose seeds and use 300 g prepared cucumber in the salad.
4. Cut the green pepper into thin rings or short strips. Add it to the tomatoes with the cucumber, drained onion and pitted olives. Check the olives for any remaining pit fragments.
5. In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil, red wine vinegar, half the oregano, fine salt and black pepper. Taste a little with a tomato piece; the feta and olives added later will contribute more salt.
6. Pour about two-thirds of the dressing over the vegetables. Use two large spoons to turn everything gently a few times, keeping the tomato pieces intact. Let the vegetables sit for 5 minutes while you prepare the feta.
7. Cut the feta into four thick pieces or break it into large chunks. Arrange on top of the vegetables instead of crumbling it finely, so its texture stays distinct.
8. Spoon the remaining dressing over the feta and sprinkle with the remaining oregano. Divide the salad and its juices evenly among four plates, with one-quarter of the feta in each serving. Serve straight away.