Authentic Greek salad (choriatiki)

This authentic recipe for a classic Greek salad by chef Carolina Doriti is made with cucumber, onion, tomatoes, black olives and feta cheese.

• Greek salad’s origins: “Greek salad is perhaps the most popular summer dish ordered at tavernas across Greece,” says Carolina. “Although choriatiki translates as ‘from the village’, it was invented and popularised in the tavernas of Plaka, the historic district of central Athens.”
• The essential ingredients: “As simple as it appears, the Greek salad embodies a whole science. It’s a celebration of those vegetables abundant during the summer months. Juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, tangy peppers, sweet onions and glossy black olives are crowned by chunks of salty, creamy feta and fragrant oregano leaves, then dressed with a drizzle of good olive oil. It’s summer on a plate!”
• Traditional twists: “Greek salads shine when the ingredients are in season, and island variations incorporate local ingredients,” explains Carolina. “Fresh, creamy local cheeses take on a starring role and give the salad a different dimension. Capers and caper leaves, samphire and distinctive olives, like the wrinkled black throubes from Thasos, Crete’s unique tiny olives, or the small pickled green peppers they often add on Lesvos. Wild-grown purslane or fresh herbs like the small-leafed island basil, sprouting from pots and tins everywhere, or thymbra (wild thyme) and oregano, which add spice. All these additional touches elevate the dish on each island, adding variety and making each salad special.”
• How to serve it: “The best part about a Greek salad is what Greeks call papara: dipping good bread into the dressing and soaking up every last drop of the juices in there.”

Recipe taken from The Greek Islands Cookbook by Carolina Doriti (Murdoch Books £20) and tested by the delicious. food team. Discover more delicious Greek recipes to add to your spread.