Every meal, whether rich and festive or light, needs a salad. In the Greek tradition, there are so many cruciferous and other seasonal vegetables as well as fruits that may be chopped for a fresh salad. Greens, both sweet and bitter, are generally savored as cooked salads, dressed simply with excellent fresh olive oil, in season at this time of year, and either lemon juice or vinegar.
It is my feeling that winter salads need to be as varied and colorful as possible. The greater the variety of leafy greens, other vegetables, winter fruits, nuts, and seeds you mix into the salad bowl, the richer it will be nutritionally.
My favorite winter salad green is arugula (rocket), which in Greece is extremely peppery. Baby spinach, various tender chicories, cabbage, carrots, and so much more go into my festive salads. I love to add fruit, too, especially the blood-red avrils of pomegranates, or the refreshing, juicy sections of an orange or tangerine.
Olive oil blends with all sorts of things, from citrus juice to honey, with a dab or two of mustard and other seasonings, added to the mix.
Enjoy these salads, both for the holidays and all winter long.
Visit my online shop for a wide selection of Greek single-origin artisanal foods, from honeys to wild herbs, olives, olive oils, pistachios, heirloom grain products, fruit preserves and more.
Diane Kochilas is one of the world’s foremost experts on Greek and Mediterranean cuisine. She is the host, creator and co-producer of My Greek Table, the award-winning 13-episode per season cooking-travel show about Greece that airs nationally on Public Television. The series is in its third season.
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