So Many Dishes

I like to make analogies between cooking and music, which is probably not surprising, since they’re two of my favorite things. It’s easy to make comparisons between many dishes to the musical form of theme and variations. Greek salad is one of the dishes that invites that analogy. There are so many versions of Greek salad, and I tried a new, delicious variation last night.

I found the recipe for Grilled Feta Greek Salad in the Washington Post, adapted from Salads are More Than Leaves, by Elena Silcock. I cut it in half to make a perfect dinner for two.

I didn’t grill the feta, but used the directions given for baking the cheese. I can’t imagine why I’d go to the trouble of heating up the grill when it was so easy to do in the oven. I left out the onion, because Ken still isn’t eating it, but otherwise I kept to the recipe.

Grilled or Baked Feta Greek Salad

• 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 English cucumber, cut into bite-size wedges
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more as needed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, as needed
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, plus more as needed
• 1 1/2 ounces red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 (7-ounce) package sheep’s milk feta cheese
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme or dill sprigs, or 1/4 teaspoon dried
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 2 ounces pitted Kalamata olives
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried
• Toasted pita bread or pita chips, for serving, optional
• Lemon wedges, for serving, optional

In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes and cucumbers and sprinkle lightly with salt.

Preheat the grill or oven. If grilling, set a gas grill to 475 degrees. If baking, preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, the lemon juice, 1/8 teaspoon salt and the pepper. Add the red onion to the dressing.

For baking: oil an ovenproof casserole dish or cast-iron skillet. Place the feta in the pan, and top with the fresh or dried herbs. Drizzle the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and honey over the cheese. If desired, sprinkle with pepper. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until softened and golden around the edges. Allows the cheese to cool for 2 to 3 minutes, then cut the block in half diagonally

For grilling: generously grease a heatproof baking pan and transfer feta to the pan. Prepare the feta as directed above. Place the pan on the grill grate, cover, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until feta is softened and golden around the edges.

Add the dressing, olives, and oregano to the tomatoes and cucumbers. Divide the tomato mixture between two bowls and top with a wedge of feta. Serve with pita or pita chips and lemon wedges, as desired. Serves 2.

I grilled pitas to accompany the salad. We really enjoyed this. I happened to have both fresh thyme and dill, so I included a sprig of each. I’m sure either one would be great, but it was really tasty with both. I suspect that this will go into our Saturday dinner salad rotation.

Happy eating!