Greek salad
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Greek salad, χωριάτικη σαλάτα (IPA: [xo̞ˈrʝatiˌci saˈlata]) 'village salad', is a salad made in the Greek fashion and is one of the standard components of a traditional Greek meal.
True Greek salad is made of sliced or chopped tomato, cucumber, bell pepper and red onion, seasoned with salt, black pepper, and oregano and dressed with olive oil. Common additions include feta cheese, capers and kalamata olives.
Lettuce is rarely used in a Greek salad. A lettuce salad (called μαρούλι, "lettuce", rather than salad) is distinct, consisting of lettuce, scallions, and fresh dill, and dressed with vinegar.
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[edit] Other usage
The term "Greek salad" is also used in North America, Australia, South Africa, and the United Kingdom to refer to a lettuce salad with Greek-inspired ingredients, dressed with vinegar and oil. Tomatoes, feta, and olives are the most standard elements in an American "Greek" salad, but cucumbers, bell peppers, onions, radishes, and pepperoncini are common. In the Detroit, Michigan, area, a "Greek salad" also includes beets. Rather than simple olive oil, prepared dressings containing various herbs and seasonings are frequently employed. (In these countries, the true Greek salad, when encountered, may be called by the untranslated Greek term χωριάτικη -- pronounced horiatiki -- or by such terms as "country", "peasant", or "village salad", to avoid confusion.)
This style of "Greek salad" may be encountered in Greece in the homes of American Greeks or restaurants which cater to tourists.
Various other salads have also been called "Greek" in the English language in the last century, including some with no connection to Greek cuisine at all. For example, one 1938 American recipe called for a mayonnaise-dressed lettuce salad with shredded cabbage, carrots, and diced smoked herring.[1]
[edit] References
- ^ Barry Popik. Greek Salad. The Big Apple. Retrieved on July 22, 2006.