Everything about Greek Salad totally explained
Greek salad,
χωριάτικη σαλάτα — 'village salad', is a
salad made in the
Greek fashion and is a common component of a traditional Greek meal. It is one of the most popular salads in
Greece and
Cyprus as it's light, refreshing and easy to make and especially popular during the summer months. True Greek salad is essentially a tomato salad made of sliced or chopped
tomatoes with a few slices of
cucumber, and
red onion, seasoned with
salt,
black pepper, and
oregano and dressed with
olive oil. Common additions include
feta cheese,
bell peppers,
capers,
anchovies,
sardines and kalamata
olives.
Lettuce and
vinegar are not used in a Greek salad.
A lettuce salad (called μαρούλι, "lettuce") is a distinct salad, also popular, especially in the autumn and spring, consisting of finely sliced lettuce,
scallions, and fresh
dill, and dressed with salt, black pepper, olive oil and
red wine vinegar or
lemon juice.
Other usage
The term "Greek salad" is also used in
North America,
Australia,
South Africa, and the
United Kingdom to refer to a lettuce salad with Greek-inspired ingredients, dressed with
vinegar and oil. Lettuce, tomatoes, feta, and olives are the most standard elements in an American "Greek" salad, but cucumbers, bell peppers, onions,
radishes, dolmades, anchovies/sardines and pickled hot peppers are common. In the Detroit, Michigan area, for example, a "Greek salad" also includes
beets. Rather than simple olive oil and vinegar, as in a μαρούλι - lettuce salad, prepared dressings containing various herbs and seasonings are frequently employed. This style of "Greek salad" is rarely encountered in Greece except in the homes of American Greeks or restaurants that cater to tourists.
In these countries, the true Greek salad, when encountered, may be called by the Greek term horiatiki—pronounced [hɔːriː'ætɪkiː]—or by such terms as "country salad", "peasant salad", or "village salad", to avoid confusion.
Greek salad is also found in Germany (often as Bauernsalat), France and Spain (ensalada griega).
Various other salads have also been called "Greek" in the English language in the last century, including some with a very old connection to Greek cuisine. For example, one
1938 American
recipe called for a
mayonnaise-dressed lettuce salad with shredded
cabbage,
carrots, and diced smoked
herring(rega/renga).
The salads of
Greek cuisine are wide and varied. Each region of Greece has or has had a salad specific to the village or area. The most common, described above, start most meals today in Greece at home or when dining out. Other salads of
Greek cuisine include cabbage salad ("slaw") (
Lahanosalata), dressed with olive oil and
lemon juice and garlic.
Beetroot salad (
Pantzarosalata), sliced beetroots, sometimes with beet greens as well, dressed with olive oil and
red wine vinegar. Rocket salad, arugala dressed with olive oil and
red wine vinegar or
lemon juice, can include anchovies. Patata salata: Potato salad with olive oil, finely sliced onions, lemon juice or vinegar.
Revithosalata,
chickpea salad. "Maintanouri", parsley salad, usually used as a condiment.
Cypriot salad, native to the island of
Cyprus, consists of finely chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, green bell peppers and flat-leaf parsley, and most closely resembles the 'Greek salad' of Greece.
Some spreads and dips found in the
meze of
Greek cuisine are also affectionately called 'salad' in Greek.
Melitzanosalata (Greek: μελιτζανοσαλάτα), is an eggplant 'puree' that includes olive oil, red wine vinegar, flat-leaf parsley and garlic (with regional variations).
Taramosalata (Greek: ταραμοσαλάτα) is fish roe mixed with lemon juice, onions, and olive oil, and breadcrumbs or mashed potato.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Greek Salad'.
|
External Link Exchanges
Do you know how hard it is to get a link from a large encyclopaedia? Well we're different and will prove it. To get a link from us just add the following HTML to your site on a relevant page:
<a href="http://greek_salad.totallyexplained.com">Greek salad Totally Explained</a>
Then simply click through this link from your web page. Our crawlers will verify your link, extract the title of your web page and instantly add a link back to it. If you like you can remove the words Totally Explained and embed the link in article text.
As long as your link remains in place, we'll keep our link to you right here. Please play fair - our crawlers are watching. Your site must be closely related to this one's topic. Any kind of spamming, dubious practises or removing the link will result in your link from us being dropped and, potentially, your whole site being banned. |
