Mediterranean Veggie Salad |
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Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cook Time: 180 Minutes |
Ready In: 200 Minutes Servings: 4 |
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Wonderful spring salad, lots of taste, from the local newspaper. (Cook time is chill time). Ingredients:
4 lemon cucumbers or 4 pickling cucumbers |
2 mild yellow banana peppers or 2 anaheim chilies, seeded thinly sliced |
1 medium bell pepper (preferably yellow or red) |
1 medium red onions or 1 medium white onion |
8 onces tomatoes, preferably plum |
2 -3 cups coarsely torn smooth spinach leaves |
sorrel (optional) or arugula (optional) |
1 1/2 cups small cubes stale french bread |
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaf |
2 tablespoons fresh oregano or 2 tablespoons marjoram leaves |
2 garlic cloves, smashed |
1/3 cup olive oil |
2 sun-dried tomatoes, halves, finely chopped (not in oil) |
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar |
sea salt |
fresh ground pepper |
12 kalamata olives, pitted, cut in pieces |
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese |
Directions:
1. If not using specialty cukes with thin, tender peels, partially peel a regular cuke from the supermarket because the skin will be waxed.
2. Leave a few very thin lengthwise strips of dark green peel intact.
3. Cut lengthwise, scoop out and discard seeded portion.
4. Cut crosswise into crescents.
5. Add mild chili peppers and small chunks of the bell pepper and onion to refrigerator container.
6. Halve tomatoes and shake out seed.
7. Cut into 1/2 inch chunks and add to the cuke mixture, cover container and refrigerate.
8. Meanwhile, wash and dry spinach leaves and any other greens you're using, chill until ready to toss the salad.
9. Prepare French bread cubes or, for a more rustic effect, tear the bread pieces.
10. Place rosemary, oregano and garlic in the olive oil and set aside to steep for several hours.
11. Add dried tomato pieces to the vinegar and let stand the same period of time.
12. Place room-temperature veggies in a very large salad bowl.
13. Add spinach, bread pieces and toss with as much of the olive oil mixture as desired.
14. Add to all the sun-dried tomato pieces as much of the vinegar as desired.
15. Grind pepper over all and taste, sprinkle with sea salt or use a salt grinder.
16. Taste again and adjust.
17. Garnish the top of the salad with kalamata olive pieces and the crumbled feta and serve immediately.
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