The ingredients for this simple summer salad are easy to come by, and can be had for just a few dollars. The best part is, you can leave out what you don’t have and still end up with a fabulous salad. Nothing too fancy here, but your guests will beg for the recipe! Serve this light and tangy medley alongside a juicy steak and oven-roasted potatoes, or with hot dogs, hamburgers and corn on the cob! Dress it up or down to suit your needs.
Ingredients:
1/2 Large Red Onion
8 Large Roma Tomatoes
2 Medium Cucumbers (any variety available)
1/4 Large Black Olives (pitted)
1/4 C Vinegar (you may use white or apple-cider, though I prefer apple-cider.)
4 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1-2 tbsp Fresh Parsley
4 tbsp white sugar
2 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
Optional:
1/2 C Feta cheese crumbles
or
1/2 C Mozzarella, chunked or rolled into balls
To begin, wash your produce thoroughly. You may choose to cut the skin off your cucumbers, or you may leave them on. If you are leaving them on, give them a thorough wash. I like to leave them on for the added color and contrast in the bowl, but it’s your choice.
Next, prepare your items in the following manner:
Coarse chop your tomatoes into bite-sized chunks. You may choose to cut your tomatoes into slices, however for this salad to have a more earthy, rustic feel, I prefer to chunk them.
Remove the skin and outer layer of your red onion, and slice into very thin, two-inch long strips. There are several ways to chop an onion, and you can learn some great techniques here.
Cut your cucumbers, skin on or off, into 1/2 inch thick slices.
Give your fresh parsley a fine chop, leaving a few larger pieces to garnish with if desired.
Drain your olives, and measure out your olive oil, sugar and vinegar. Have your spices and measuring spoons ready.
In a medium bowl, start your dressing. Combine vinegar and sugar, stirring well. It helps for your vinegar to be room temperature, or even slightly warmed. Continue to stir and allow to sit for a moment to allow the sugar particles to absorb. Add olive oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper and mix well.
In a large serving bowl, combine tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, and black olives. Toss with dressing, mixing in the diced parsley at this time, as well.
Cover bowl tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, up to four hours. This salad can be prepared the night before, but is recommended prepared fresh (within four hours of serving). The chilling helps to mellow the flavors, and allow the vegetables to marinate and tenderize.
Just before serving, top with either Feta or Mozzarella cheese (if desired), and garnish with larger pieces or sprigs of fresh parsley. This recipe serves 4-6 guests. Enjoy!
