Greek Cucumber Tomato Salad

Greek Cucumber Tomato Salad is bursting with Greek-inspired flavors.  A heady mix of dried herbs in a pungent but not sharp dressing coats crunchy cucumbers, sweet tomatoes and piquant Kalamata olives for a wonderful simple salad with complex flavors.  Refreshing yet not filling, it is a perfect as lunch for two or as dinner appetizers for four. Greek Cucumber and Tomato Salad is also a great side dish with grilled beef, chicken and especially lamb; its bright, fresh flavors offer great contrast to yet complement grilled meats.

The herbaceous dressing combines with fresh cucumber and tomatoes, red onion and Kalamata olives, all topped with crumbled feta cheese, for a tasty dish.  With its jumble of textures and colors, Greek Cucumber Tomato Salad is easy to prepare. Serve this delicious salad with a glass of dry white wine and some fresh, crusty bread and butter for lunch or as an appetizer before Savory Grilled Pork Roast for an elegant dinner.

Total Time: 30 minutes. Yields 2 large salads or 4 appetizer/side salads.

Ingredients:

For the dressing:

• ¼ tsp ground Black Pepper
• ½ tsp dried Mint leaves
• ½ tsp dried Oregano leaves
• ½ tsp dried Thyme leaves
• 2 Tbs Red Wine Vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
• 4 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil

For the salad:

• ½ cup finely chopped Red Onion
• 1 ½ cups quartered Cocktail Tomatoes or halved Cherry Tomatoes
• 2 cups English Cucumbers cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 cup whole Kalamata Olives, pitted or not
• 2 Tbs crumbled Feta Cheese per salad

Preparation:

1. Combine the black pepper, mint leaves, oregano leaves and thyme leaves in a deep bowl.
2. Add the red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard and extra virgin olive oil to the bowl and whisk the dressing together.
3. Add the red onion, tomatoes, cucumbers and Kalamata olives to the dressing and mix.
4. Portion the Greek Cucumber Tomato Salad into bowls, top each bowl with crumbled feta cheese and serve.