We hadn’t thought of using Pernod or ouzo in a salad until Rick Stein inspired us in his Mediterranean Escapes book. Good enough to make twice in two weeks.
Salata Horiatiki (Greek salad with tomato, cucumber, olives, dill and feta cheese) – to serve 4
- 450g ripe, red, tasty tomatoes
- ½ cucumber
- 1 red onion
- 200g Greek feta cheese
- 4½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus a bit extra to serve
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp ouzo or Pernod
- 2 tbsp chopped dill
- 20 small black olives
- Large pinch of dried oregano
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Crusty fresh bread, to serve
Cut the tomatoes into chunks, and cut the cucumber in half lengthways and then across into thick slices. Very thinly slice the red onion. Crumble the feta cheese into small chunks.
Put the olive oil, ½ tsp salt, the red wine vinegar, ouzo and some black pepper into a large salad bowl and whisk. Add the tomatoes, cucumber and onions and toss gently. Add the feta, dill and olives and mix briefly, then divide onto plates.
Drizzle the salad with a bit more oil, sprinkle with the dried oregano and a little coarsely ground pepper, and serve with crusty bread.
Wine Suggestion: If you were on a Greek island you would be sipping ouzo or retsina… not sure that we’d recommend either. Maybe try a Vermentino, which is still from the Mediterranean (Sardinia or the Italian coast), a fresh white wine that has a bit of texture to it.
Greek ouzo and salad! That’s my first, well I’ll try it but I’m a little scared to be frank!
Give it a go.We really liked it and were equally apprehensive!
Ouzo in a Greek salad is wonderful! Love this 🙂