Cultured Palate: Dishes from Greece

Horiatiki

What we have come to know as “Greek salad” – a bitingly acidic salad covered in olives, onions, and feta –  is known in Greece as horiatiki. When made well, it can represent everything wonderful about Greek cuisine – simple ingredients, combined to form a dish that relies on quality ingredients rather than flashy technique.

Tradition varies from region to region, but generally the vegetables found in horiatiki include cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, and Kalamata olives – never lettuce. The feta cheese is left in slabs so that people can customize every bite, and the whole thing is dressed in a simple drizzle of olive oil, and a sprinkling of oregano and salt.

If you’re on the Dodecanese islands, you may find some green peppers or even capers on your plate, too.

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