Elies tsakistes
Coriander crushed olives
One of the simplest and healthiest foods you can eat is a salad — and an authentic Greek salad will have your taste buds dancing.
Salads in Cyprus are served almost always at lunch and dinner, and sometimes even breakfast. The traditional Greek salad does not have any leafy greens: a colourful, refreshing salad of fresh produce and a simple dressing is all you need.
The Greek salad in Cyprus is known as ‘horiatiki’ or ‘horkatiki’, which means village-style salad. It is usually served as an entrée before lunch or dinner. If you are eating meze at a taverna the salad will be brought out first, along with the traditional dips — hummus, tzatziki, taramas — and pickled vegetables, bread or pitta, and sometimes elies tsakistes.
In a salad bowl cut up your fresh cucumber and tomatoes in big chunks. Then cut your onion and peppers in large slices.
Add a generous amount of feta chunks and olives, then sprinkle over some dried oregano.
It’s now time to add the dressing, which goes directly into the salad bowl: drizzle your olive oil, a splash of red wine vinegar and salt.
Give it a good mix, taste your salad and adjust the salt, vinegar or olive oil to your liking. Go light on the vinegar and salt to start with — you can always add more later.
This refreshing salad can be eaten all year round and is easy to prepare ahead — just add the dressing ingredients before you serve. Pair it with souvla, roast chicken, gemista, or even keftedes, koupepia and afelia.
Coriander crushed olives
Chickpeas, tahini, lemon
Marinated pork in red wine