Greek Salad

Ingredients

• 3 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 large English cucumber (about 12 ounces), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives, drained
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 ounces feta cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Method

1. 1

   Step 1. Allow about 20 minutes to wash, cut and assemble; no cooking or chilling wait is required. Use a large mixing bowl, a small bowl and a whisk. This makes four generous side salads. Rinse and dry the vegetables before cutting.

2. 2

   Step 2. Whisk the oil, vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper in the small bowl. Add the sliced onion, separating its layers, and let it sit in the dressing while you finish cutting the vegetables, about 10 minutes. The measured salt is modest because the olives and feta contribute salt.

3. 3

   Step 3. Combine the tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper and well-drained olives in the large bowl. If the cucumber has a loose, watery seed channel, scrape it out before cutting. Dry the cut vegetables if wet from washing; do not add liquid collected on the cutting board.

4. 4

   Step 4. Add the onions and dressing to the vegetables and toss gently from the bottom. Fold in the feta just once or twice to keep the cubes intact. Divide into four portions and serve at once, including the dressing; prolonged standing draws water from the vegetables.

5. 5

   Step 5. For advance preparation, refrigerate the cut vegetables, dressing and feta separately for up to 1 day; toss just before serving. Keep at 40°F or below; refrigerate within 2 hours of serving, or 1 hour above 90°F. Refrigerate assembled leftovers and use within 2 days; the vegetables will soften.