greek salad
There are many variations of Greek salads. One of my favorites originates from Jack's Wife Freda in SoHo where kale, feta, and pickled red onions are married to the taste of perfection. Since introduced to it by a friend at brunch last year, I would have to admit that this version of a Greek salad has become somewhat of an obsession . So I recently decided to try my own version at home, combining my homemade pickled red onions (which will literally take you less than 10 minutes to make), organic feta cheese and produce, and some home-grilled bread -- basically, slices of a baguette, coated with olive oil and thrown over my burner. The New York way of grilling anything. The creamy feta mixed with the variation textures comes pretty close... but you'll only really know if you came close when you make a pit stop at JWF the next time you're in the neighborhood.
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Greek Kale Salad serves 2-4
5 (large) leaves of green kale, stemmed and thinly sliced 1 English cucumber, chopped 2-3 vine ripe tomatoes, chopped 1/2 tbsp (cold-pressed) olive oil Fresh cracked pepper, to taste Pickled red onion (instructions below) Feta cheese salt-cured olive mix, optional
Ingredients for pickled red onions 1/2 cup white vinegar 1/2 tbsp (celtic) salt 1 red onion, sliced 2 cloves of garlic 1 tsp peppercorn
Instructions Pickling red onion. In a small saucepan, bring water to boil. Add red onions and blanch for about 1 minute, drain in a colander and return to the saucepan on medium-low heat. Add white vinegar, salt, garlic, peppercorns, and a few tablespoons of cold water to make sure onions are fully submerged in liquid. Simmer for about 1-2 minutes. Transfer mixture to a small-medium mason jar, let it cool for about 20-30 minutes, then chill in the refrigerator before serving.
In a large bowl, add kale and a 1/4 tbsp of olive oil. Massage kale by gently squeezing a fistful at a time with bare hands (or wear latex gloves). Your kale should look like it has been wilted down to half the amount. Add in cucumbers, tomatoes, pickled red onions, and olives. Gently toss. Serve with a slice of feta cheese, a drizzle of olive oil, and some fresh cracked pepper. *Also great served with a slice of a fresh baguette.