Taverna Salad

Name: Taverna Salad
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: European, Greek, Mediterranean
Ingredients: ⅓cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 2tablespoons red wine vinegar; 1teaspoon minced garlic (1 small clove); ½teaspoon dried oregano; Salt and pepper; 3medium tomatoes, cored, seeded and diced into ½-inch pieces (or 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes); 1(15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed; 1orange or yellow bell pepper, halved, seeded and diced into ½-inch pieces; ½large English cucumber, halved, seeded and diced into ½-inch pieces; ½cup pitted Kalamata olives; ¼cup chopped fresh parsley; ¼cup minced red onion or shallot; 2tablespoons (drained) capers, coarsely chopped; 2scallions, thinly sliced; 1(6-inch) pita; 1(8-ounce) block halloumi cheese, patted dry and cut into ¾-inch-thick slices

5 steps

Prep:25minCook:20min

This colorful, meal-of-a-salad from Lidey Heuck’s cookbook, “Cooking in Real Life” (S&S/Simon Element, 2024), is inspired by two dishes: classic Greek salad (also known as horiatiki) and fattoush, the Lebanese salad of vegetables and pieces of fried pita. The ingredient list may look long at first, but each ingredient contributes to the harmony of the salad: bell pepper and cucumbers for crunch; shallot, olives and capers for a bit of tang; chopped tomatoes for sweetness. Pan-fried halloumi adds richness and heft, but you can skip the searing process and instead opt for a 6-ounce block of feta, if desired. To save even more time, you can add a large handful of crumbled pita chips instead of making your own.

Updated at: Tue, 16 Jul 2024 14:05:10 GMT

Nutrition balance score

Good

Glycemic Index

Low

Glycemic Load

Moderate

Nutrition per serving

Calories560.5 kcal (28%)

Total Fat41.5 g (59%)

Carbs33.3 g (13%)

Sugars8.1 g (9%)

Protein21.1 g (42%)

Sodium1905.1 mg (95%)

Fiber6.7 g (24%)

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Ingredients

4 servings

⅓ cupextra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoonsred wine vinegar

1 teaspoongarlic

minced, small

½ teaspoondried oregano

salt

pepper

3tomatoes

medium, cored, seeded and diced into 1/2-inch pieces

1 x 15 ouncecan chickpeas

rinsed

1orange bell pepper

or yellow, halved, seeded and diced into 1/2-inch pieces

0.5English cucumber

large, halved, seeded and diced into 1/2-inch pieces

½ cuppitted Kalamata olives

¼ cupfresh parsley

chopped

¼ cupred onion

minced, or shallot

2 tablespoonscapers

drained, coarsely chopped

1 x 8 ouncehalloumi cheese

block, patted dry and cut into 3/4-inch-thick slices

Instructions

Step 1

In a small bowl, combine ⅓ cup olive oil with the vinegar, garlic and oregano. Whisk vigorously to combine then season to taste with salt and pepper.

Step 2

In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, chickpeas, bell pepper, cucumber, olives, parsley, red onion, capers and scallions. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well.

Step 3

Chop the pita into 1-inch pieces and place them in a small bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, sprinkle with salt and toss to coat. Heat an 8-inch skillet over medium. Add the pita pieces and cook, tossing often, until toasted and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Return to the small bowl to cool, reserving the skillet.

Step 4

Place the halloumi slices on a small plate and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Heat the same skillet over medium-high heat, and cook the halloumi until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and cut the slices into bite-size cubes.

Step 5

Add the pita and halloumi to the salad, toss well and serve.