I love mixed seasonal salads with fruit, nuts and Feta, goat or other fresh cheeses that give way to an abundance of combinations and contrasts! They are easy to make and always big crowd pleasers . . . . especially when entertaining!
This particular salad is healthy, tasty and impressive. From the bite of its zesty fruit, crunchy nuts and the slightly salty tones of the olives and the Feta cheese, this salad will engage your palate with mild and slightly salty tones . . . while using spicy cheese like the Grothotiraki from Syros (where available), a tangy almost sharp kick!
I often omit mixing the salad with the olive oil before serving, as per recipe below. Instead I like to serve it with the olive oil on the side and/or a vinaigrette of choice . . . or one of my favorite light vinaigrette made with olive oil, pomegranate juice, a bit of Dijon mustard, thyme honey, herb of choice + ground pepper & salt.
Most importantly, adapt the salad to fresh seasonal ingredients and cheeses available in your area and enjoy!
Feta, Olive and Pomegranate Salad Recipe for 2!
Ingredients
1 Pomegranate, seeds only
Flaked almonds, toasted (optional)
1 apple – cored and finely sliced
1 pear – peeled, cored and finely sliced
Juice from 1 lemon
120 g Salad greens of choice
Extra virgin Greek Olive oil, to taste
Black pepper and salt (only if you must)
8-12 Kalamata olives
50 – 70 g sliced fig salami or sliced dried figs
100 g Feta Cheese or other fresh cheese of choice
Preparation Method
Start by cutting the pomegranate in half and pop the seeds out into a bowl, (that you have placed down in your kitchen sink to avoid a mess) by bashing the skin of the fruit with a sturdy wooden spoon. Set aside.
If you are using flaked almonds, toast under a medium grill or in a hot skillet until lightly browned and then set aside to cool.
Place apple and pear slices into a bowl and sprinkle with freshly squeezed lemon juice and mix carefully.
In a large salad bowl, toss together the salad greens with a little olive oil and freshly ground pepper and salt, to taste.
Place salad greens on serving plates. Then proceed to scatter the apple, pear and fig slices, olives, pomegranate seeds, and toasted almonds over salad greens and last top with crumbled Feta or sliced fresh cheese (like Burrata or Mozarella) or, where available, the spicy Feta type cheese called Grothotiraki that comes from Syros island that you see in photo.
Serve immediately with or without a glass of crisp rosé wine . . . and enjoy!
© KaritasM – November 2022
For any of you that happen to live in Athens, Greece, the fig salami with orange and the Grothotiraki ( plain or spicy with Bukova) that I used in the recipe & photos . . . . . plus a lot of Greece's best olive oils and many other yummy delicacies and wines +++ are available at the Maison d'Olive shop in Kolonaki:
Address:
Xanthippou Street #7 - 9
10675 Athens, Greece
Tel: +30 2117353912