Greek Salad

Here’s how to avoid getting stuck eating mostly lettuce when you share a Greek salad: Eliminate the leafy stuff.

You know how it happens; a big enticing plate is put on the table, but looks are deceiving. It’s really just a small assortment of vegetables floating in a sea of chopped iceberg lettuce. I say empty the ocean.

That’s right, revamp a summer dinner staple without the filler. Just a plate heaping with crunchy cucumbers, juicy tomatoes and pleasantly salty feta and olives. It’s more authentic, too. Greek salad, like Israeli salad, does not traditionally include lettuce, just refreshing chopped vegetables.

Greek salad

Juice of half a lemon

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons dried oregano

Coarse salt and ground black pepper, to taste

2 large cucumbers, peeled, seeded and chopped into 1/2-inch cubes

2 large tomatoes, sliced and chopped into 1/2-inch chunks

Half medium red onion, peeled, trimmed, thinly sliced lengthwise

1/3 cup pitted Kalamata olives

1 tablespoon coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

5-ounce chunk feta cheese, finely chopped

Fleur de sel or other coarse sea salt

To prepare the dressing, in a medium bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil and oregano. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

To assemble the salad, in a large bowl, gently combine the cucumbers, tomatoes, onion, olives and parsley. Add the dressing, and stir gently until well coated.

Sprinkle the feta cheese over the salad, then stir carefully just to incorporate. Check the seasoning and finish with a pinch of fleur de sel and black pepper. Serves 4.