My Big Fat Greek-ish Salad

I think of briny, salty feta as a gateway cheese. In my farm days, Cheddar slices with the occasional Swiss or Muenster were the norm, but then feta hit my tongue, and wham! Suddenly cheeses with names like Manchego, Sartori and Pecorino took up residence in my fridge’s cheese drawer. I’m not sure where I met feta, or when I experienced my first Greek salad. It was probably on my senior class trip, for which my rebellious graduating class insisted on planning a trip to Atlanta, rather than settling for the principal’s annual canned trip to New York City. There we were, several girlfriends and I, in an Underground Atlanta Greek restaurant. Given our small town upbringing, both the menu and the belly dancing were pretty much Greek to us! I have to admit to being a foodie even at the ripe old age of 18 though, for the lasting impression I carried from that experience was the lusciousness of the cheesy pastitsio I ordered for dinner.  

Cheese is evidently somewhat addicting. Casein, the dairy protein in cheese, is broken down by the body into casomorphins, which bind to the dopamine receptors in the brain. Pleasurable sensations result, causing one to want more and more cheese. While I have little difficulty passing by on the meat, cheese is a different matter entirely. However, soft cheeses like feta are high in lactose, the milk sugar that I struggle to digest. Cheese is also high in saturated fat… Soooo, I find myself attempting to minimize it a bit. I am trying to include cheese in my cooking as I do meat-using just a little to flavor and enhance the plant-based foods that are becoming the mainstays of our meals. 

Greek salad is a delicious, cooling and substantial summer salad, starring olives, pepperoncini, tomatoes and cucumbers, but usually heavy on the feta.  My Greek salad is a reinvention, adding marinated lentils for healthy protein and sautéed lemon for acidity, while reducing the amount of feta. I also nixed the cucumber, another ingredient that challenges the digestion.  Admittedly no self-respecting Greek would allow such an omission, but fortunately I’m not Greek.  You can keep it in the salad if you must. Hang onto the tomatoes, pepperoncini and red onion, and add a few croutons or toasted walnuts for crunch. Greek style vinaigrette, seasoned with thyme and oregano binds all the ingredients together.   While I prefer to bake the feta until golden and soft, we avoid turning on the oven at dinnertime because it’s already hot as hell in the kitchen here in the desert summer.  It’s microwaved in short bursts, just ‘til warm and softened. 

The finished salad is balanced, satisfying and beautiful on the plate. The components can all be made ahead and combined when ready to serve. My Greek-ish salad joins our collection of hot weather dinner salads that whet the appetite on hot days.  Sizzling weather is no longer confined to the desert southwest, you know; it’s pretty much everywhere. Next time it’s too hot to cook, put this salad on the menu. The belly dancing, however, is optional…

Print Recipe

My Big Greek-ish Salad

Cool crisp Greek style salad with sauteed lemon, marinated lentils and warm feta.

Prep Time45 minutes mins

Total Time45 minutes mins

Course: Entree, Entree Salad

Cuisine: Greek

Keyword: feta, salad

Servings: 4 people

Ingredients

Salad

• 1 lemon, sliced paper thin
• Olive oil
• 1 cup cooked lentils 1/2 cup dry, or from a can
• 8 cups salad greens I use a mix of arugula and spring mix
• 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, sliced
• 1/2 cup sliced jarred pepperoncini
• 1 cup halved grape tomatoes
• 4 thin slices red onion, separated into rings
• 1/4 cup toasted walnut pieces can substitute crisp croutons
• 6 ounces feta cheese

Dressing

• 1/3 cup quality extra virgin olive oil
• 2 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

Instructions

• Heat a non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Brush the lemon slices with olive oil, then brown lightly on each side. Remove and set aside. Cool, then cut slices into quarters. 
• Whisk the dressing ingredients together and add 1 tablespoon of the dressing to the prepared lentils.  Stir through and set aside to marinate. 
• When ready to serve, toss the lettuces, olives, pepperoncini, tomatoes, red onion, walnuts and reserved lemon slices together. Place the feta squares onto a plate and microwave for 10-second bursts until warmed. Drizzle 1 teaspoon of dressing over the feta, then toss the remaining with the salad. Portion salad evenly onto four plates. Arrange the lentils over the salad, and top each with a square of feta. 

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