TOMATOES ARE BACK.
I am not usually prone to the use of caps but I really got excited when I saw big boxes of multicolored heirloom tomatoes on the Happy Boy Farm table at our Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center farmers' market last week. Along with newly offered Armenian cucumbers, red onions, fresh basil, some olives, and feta cheese, the tomatoes were the inspiration for this week's recipe for a delicious Greek salad.
I last offered this recipe in August of 2004 during the Olympics in Greece. Highlighting an oldie but goodie is a way to reach the many new subscribers to the Farmers' Market Update. It has been a very long winter and spring. For me, the availability of locally grown, organic tomatoes is a reaffirmation that much is actually good in the world.
Servings: 4 as a salad course
Ingredients
- About 1 pound of tomatoes of different sizes and colors, thickly sliced
- 1 Armenian cucumber, sliced diagonally (looks fancy)
- ¼ red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 ounces feta cheese
- 12 basil leaves, torn into pieces
- 12 Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large garlic clove, mashed with salt
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Directions
Arrange the tomatoes artfully on a platter. Top with red onion, cucumber, feta, basil, and olives. Mix the mashed garlic with the vinegar in a small bowl then whisk in the olive oil. Dress the salad just before serving. Season to taste. This is an incredibly simple and wonderful way to welcome summer.