Greek salad

Greek salad.

Greek salad (Greek χωριάτικη σαλάτα [xorˈjatiki saˈlata] 'rustic salad' or θερινή σαλάτα [θeriˈni saˈlata] 'summer salad') is a summer salad in Greek cuisine.

Greek salad is made with pieces of tomatoes, sliced cucumber, green bell peppers, red onion, sliced or cubed feta cheese, and Kalamata olives, typically seasoned with salt and dried oregano, and dressed with olive oil. Common additions include the pickled leaves, buds or berries of capers (especially in the Dodecanese islands), rocket leaves, vinegar, lemon juice, and chopped parsley.

Other usage

A supermarket-sold Greek salad.

American-style "Greek" salad.

The term "Greek salad" is also used in North America, Australia, South Africa, and the United Kingdom to refer to a lettuce salad with Greek-inspired ingredients, dressed with oil and vinegar. Lettuce, tomatoes, feta, and olives are the most standard elements in an American "Greek" salad, but cucumbers, peperoncini, bell peppers, onions, radishes, dolmades, anchovies/sardines and pickled hot peppers are common. In Detroit for example, a "Greek salad" also includes beets; and in Tampa Bay it often includes potato salad. Rather than simple olive oil and vinegar, as in a normal Greek lettuce salad, prepared dressings containing various herbs and seasonings are frequently employed. This style of "Greek salad" is rarely encountered in Greece except in the homes of American Greeks or restaurants that cater to tourists. In these countries, the true Greek salad, when encountered, may be called by the Greek term horiatiki or by such terms as "country salad", "peasant salad", or "village salad", to avoid confusion.

Greek salad of varying degrees of authenticity is also found in other European countries e.g. Germany (where it is often called Bauernsalat), France (salade à la Grecque), Hungary (görög saláta), Spain (ensalada Griega) and Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia, and Montenegro (grčka salata).

Various other salads have also been called "Greek" in the English language in the last century, including some with no apparent connection to Greek cuisine. A 1925 Australian newspaper described a Greek Salad of boiled squash dressed with sour milk;^[1] a 1934 American newspaper described a mayonnaise-dressed lettuce salad with shredded cabbage and carrots.^[2]

Other salads in Greece and Cyprus

There are many other salads in Greek cuisine. These include the above-mentioned marouli (lettuce) salad with lettuce, onion and dill, cabbage salad ("slaw") (Lahanosalata), dressed with olive oil and lemon juice and garlic. Beetroot salad (Pantzarosalata), boiled and sliced beetroots, sometimes with beet greens as well, dressed with olive oil and red wine vinegar. Roka (rocket) salad, arugula dressed with olive oil and red wine vinegar or lemon juice, can include anchovies. Patatosalata: Potato salad with olive oil, finely sliced onions, lemon juice or vinegar. Revithosalata, chickpea salad. "Maintanouri", parsley salad, usually used as a condiment.

Cypriot salad, native to the island of Cyprus, consists of finely chopped tomatoes, capers, cucumbers, onions, flat-leaf parsley, feta cheese, dressed with olive oil and lemon or red wine vinegar, closely resembles the 'Greek salad' of Greece.

Some spreads and dips found in the meze of Greek cuisine are also regarded as part of the group of 'salads' by Greek-speakers, such as melitzanosalata, taramosalata and tzatziki.

References

1. ^ The Age, January 13, 1925, p. 7
2. ^ The Daily Times (Rochester and Beaver, Pennsylvania), March 13, 1934 [1]