Greek salad with croutons
Greek salad with croutons
Ingredients
Sweet bell pepper – 30 g
Barley bun – 1 pc.
Onions – 1 pc.
Olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano, thyme - to taste
- 91 kcal
- 2 hours
- 2 hours
Photo of the finished dish
Step-by-step recipe with photos
Do you think that Greek salad with croutons is some kind of narrow perversion for refined ladies, and croutons are such fancy croutons, and, of course, this recipe was invented by restaurants? But no! The real traditional Greek salad with croutons is prepared on the Crete peninsula, and this, I suspect, is the most gluttonous version of the Greek salad that can actually feed hungry farmers. Therefore, the croutons there are not croutons at all, but paximadi kusmans, and besides the croutons, there is something to throw into the stomach of a working person - potatoes, eggs. But first, let’s talk about crackers and ask what paximadi is.
Paximadi are famous Cretan crackers made from barley flour. More precisely, these are barley buns, which are then dried in the oven again and converted into dried buns. It is then that they become paximadi. But specifically for making Cretan Greek salad, they sell for previously cut and later dried buns of this type.
What are Paximadi known for? They tell a legend that one day a Dragon arose from the sea and wanted to devour the Crete peninsula. Zeus, a native of Crete, decided to stand up for his native peninsula, and said to the Dragon: “Listen, you unfortunate crocodile, before you covet the whole peninsula, first swallow this small cracker!” - and threw the paximadi into the sea. The dragon rushed towards Paximadi - and turned to stone. Paximadi also became petrified. So off the coast of Crete there were two islands: one that looked like a huge crocodile, and the other that looked like a small bun. They say that when the end of the world comes, the Dragon will finally eat his own paximadi. And for the Krits, it is a matter of honor to create their own Greek salad with croutons, and to create it not in a light version, but in such a satisfying way that even a hungry dragon will be satisfied.
I don’t have real paximadi (most likely you don’t either), so I’ll just make barley crackers from a barley bun. There are no seeds on real Paximadi. If you don’t have barley buns, it’s better to substitute rye buns rather than wheat buns.
We cut the bun in half, and later into thick pucks about a centimeter in length. True paximadi, even if there is a whole loaf, can still be broken with your hands, but for some reason I can’t do this trick with ordinary loaves after drying, so I still recommend for you the option of preparatory cutting and subsequent drying.
Dry the crackers in the oven for an hour or so (either in a cool oven or at a temperature of about 50 C).
Cook and peel the potatoes and eggs.
Cut the potatoes and eggs into large pieces.
Cut the tomato into slices.
We also don’t mince the cucumber and pepper.
We cut the onion - it can be rings, it can be slices, as long as it’s not finely chopped.
Place vegetables on a plate or in a bowl. Sprinkle with broken feta.
Before serving, season the Greek salad with croutons with olive oil, onion, salt, pepper, oregano, thyme and freshly squeezed lemon juice to taste.
How to make Greek salad with croutons
The New Year's table is always generously stocked with dishes, but if some take a long time to make, then the rest take no more than half an hour to prepare.
Greek salad with croutons, the recipe for which we will carefully consider, is one of such dishes, because it is prepared quickly, simply and from natural ingredients.
Everything that goes into the snack can be easily found on the shelves of hypermarkets, and the treat is cheap, what more could a housewife want?
Greek salad: recipe with croutons
Ingredients
- Tomatoes (fresh) - 4-5 pcs. + –
- Feta cheese – 250 g + –
- Olive oil - 6-7 tbsp. + –
- Sweet pepper - 1-2 pcs. + –
- Cucumbers (fresh) - 2-3 pcs. + –
- Salt - to taste + –
- Onion - 1 pc. + –
- Loaf - ½ pcs. + –
- Greens (fresh) - to taste + –
- Olives - 20-25 pcs. + –
- Lemon - ½ pc. + –
- Dried oregano - to taste + –
- Ground dark pepper - to taste + -
How to prepare Greek salad with croutons
Such a famous dish has a lot of manufacturing options, so that any housewife can choose the most suitable one for herself. What you sometimes find as part of a unique snack: various types of cheese, various seasonings that change its taste beyond recognition, chicken meat and much more.
But we will try to create a “Greek” salad with croutons - they will add piquancy to the dish, make it crispier, and at the same time add originality to the traditional ingredient composition.
Step 1: Make crispy croutons from the loaf
- Cut off the crust from half the loaf and cut the flesh into cubes, if the bread is yesterday's bread. If the loaf is fresh, then tear it into small pieces with your hands.
- Place the future crackers on a baking sheet, sprinkle them with olive oil, and place them in a preheated oven to dry for 7-10 minutes.
Step 2: Chop the cheese and vegetables
- Chop the tomatoes into cubes, peppers into thin strips (or squares), and cucumbers into large slices.
- Cut onions (it is better to use the reddish fruit, it is tastier and sweeter) into rings/half rings. If your onion is bitter, pour boiling water over it, this will help reduce the bitterness.
- Carefully cut the feta into large cubes. Do everything slowly and carefully, as the cheese is soft and any sudden movement can harm its integrity.
- We wash the greens under running water, dry them briefly and chop them with a sharp knife.
- It is better to tear the salad leaves (if you will use them, of course) into pieces with your hands.
Step 3: Mix the ingredients into the salad
- Squeeze the juice from half a lemon, mix it with oregano, pepper, salt and olive oil.
- We put the cheese and vegetable tenderloin with herbs in a salad bowl, add pitted olives to them, then pour the prepared spicy lemon dressing over the chopped products and carefully mix everything together.
- As a result, sprinkle the Greek salad with croutons and serve it to the table right away.
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Greek salad: cooking secrets for gourmets
Despite the fact that the salad is prepared very simply, there are still certain aspects to the technology of its production. In order for the appetizer to come out perfect and not disappoint you with its taste, you need to choose the right ingredients.
In combination, they should harmoniously complement each other, so the following secrets should not be overlooked, they will help create a Greek-style salad even tastier.
What croutons are best for Greek salad?
It is better to create croutons for a Greek dish on your own; it will be tastier and cheaper. But if you are in a complete hurry and don’t have time to dry the bread, you can buy ready-made crackers in the store. But don’t rush to take the first ones you come across, you need to choose the “correct” drying that will look harmonious in the salad.
Finely porous crackers without additives are perfect. If there are aromatic additives in the dry product, they should be in the smallest quantity. Crackers flavored with chicken, herbs, cheese or sour cream do not spoil the taste of the salad.
But it will be better if natural spices are used, and such, usually, are only found in homemade crackers. You can prepare them at home from any type of bread, from snow-white to rye.
What spices can be added to the salad?
Greek salad is a rather unique dish, so you should be careful with seasonings. There are no serious prohibitions on the use of certain spices, but some spices greatly influence the typical taste of the snack (for example, turmeric, ginger), so you may not even be able to figure out your favorite Greek salad right away.
If you add them to a snack in limited quantities, it will make it indescribably tasty and appetizing.
How to Vary the Traditional Greek Salad
If you have prepared a dish according to a traditional recipe more than once, then you probably want to try it in a new culinary interpretation. You have such an opportunity.
Naturally, the Greeks would not approve of such improvisation, but what can you do to improve the taste of your favorite dish, especially since over almost all the years of its existence, the appetizer has already undergone a huge number of changes.
So, what can you add to a Greek salad, besides the usual items:
- shrimps;
- chicken (finely chopped pieces or minced meat);
- natural yogurt for dressing;
- feta cheese or Adyghe cheese;
- garlic;
- Chinese cabbage, etc.
If you are still a particular supporter of the classics, then use the traditional Greek salad recipe that we have on our website. In addition to the step-by-step recipe, the article reveals some secrets of its manufacture, and also describes products that can and cannot be included in the Greek treat.
A deliciously prepared Greek salad with croutons (the recipe for which we have carefully outlined above) will certainly decorate your table. When decorating festive feasts, especially New Year's, this appetizer will become a true lifesaver for the housewife - it is prepared quickly, easily, and, moreover, from affordable ingredients.
It’s virtually impossible to spoil this dish, but it’s easy to create a signature treat out of it in your own family.
Have a nice holiday and delicious New Year's feast!
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Greek salad with croutons
Ingredients
- Chicken fillet 250 g
- Tomato 2 pcs.
- Chinese cabbage 1/2 head
- Snow white bread 3 slices
- Hard cheese 50 g
- Olive oil 2-3 tbsp. l.
- Italian herbs 1/4 tsp.
- Mayonnaise 50 g
- Drink 50 g
- Lemon juice 1 tbsp. l.
- Garlic 1 clove
- Dill 1 bunch
- Table salt to taste
- Ground dark pepper
Manufacturing
According to traditional technology, most of our own feta cheese is used, but we will replace it with Parmesan. You can follow the traditions of Greece or follow our example. In any case, you need to take hard types of cheese. Regarding bread, it is important to clarify. Take not the freshest, but a little stale one. It will not be very soft and will simply be cut into pieces of the desired shape.
We usually start production by preparing the ingredients that we will need for cooking. Place vegetables, cheese, dressing ingredients, meat, bread and spices on the work surface.
Carefully wash the chicken under running water and cut the fillet into not very thin pieces. Treat the meat product with salt and ground black pepper.
Place a grill pan on the stove and set the flame to medium. After waiting for the container to heat up, place the fillet pieces into it. Fry until golden brown. Almost 3 minutes is usually enough for this. If, unfortunately, you don’t have such a frying pan, take an ordinary one. Also place it on the stove, pour a little vegetable oil until the bottom of the vessel becomes hot. Place the meat and fry. When ready, transfer to paper towels to remove excess fat from oil as needed.
Cut pieces of snow-white bread into small cubes. We send them to the frying pan where the chicken was fried. Pour a little olive oil and fry, stirring occasionally. We complement it with Italian aromatic herbs or others to your taste. Remove from the stove and pour the croutons into a separate container when they become firm and golden.
Now let's start making the right sauce. We remove the amount of garlic we need from the husk. We rinse the clove under running water and pass it through a press. Take a bowl where it will be convenient to combine the ingredients. Pour the drink, add mayonnaise, add chopped garlic. We also wash the dill, shake off the water and finely chop it, after which we add it to the dressing mixture. Mix the entire composition thoroughly.
We get rid of the tails on the tomatoes, then rinse the vegetables under running water. Cut the tomatoes into quarters. What's left is Chinese cabbage. We cut it into cubes.
Place cabbage leaves on portioned plates, then chopped tomatoes, fried pieces of chicken fillet on them, followed by croutons. We complement the dish with a couple of spoons of sauce. At the end of cooking, grate the cheese and place it on top of the plates. Our Greek salad with croutons, chicken and Chinese cabbage is now ready. You see, preparing it at home is really not that difficult. In the traditional version, the salad does not contain chicken, but is seasoned with olive oil. If the regular version is closer to you, then exclude the meat component and change the dressing. You can also complement the salad with the freshest cucumbers and olives. We hope that our step-by-step recipe will help you quickly create this delicious dish. Serve as an appetizer and enjoy the great taste. We wish you bon appetit!
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Greek salad: traditional recipe with feta cheese, croutons and chicken and other options
Salads are versatile dishes that fit perfectly into a formal menu and perfectly complement everyday lunches and dinners. Greek salad is no exception. The recipe with feta cheese is a good European variation of a famous dish. How to cook it according to the rules and how can you vary it?
Meet the Greek salad
The birthplace of the salad made from tomatoes, feta, olives and olive oil is Greece. There it is called rustic, because it was in rural taverns that they began to prepare this dish in order to feed all the tourists who flooded the local lands in the 20th century. The resourceful owners of the establishments mixed all the products that were at hand, seasoned the dish with ordinary olive oil - and invented another method to glorify their country! There is a version that even the expression “Put a hillbilly at the table and his feet are on the table” is connected with the origin of the Greek salad.
Now it is included in the menu of all establishments in Greece and most European restaurants. This is also coupled with the fact that the range of products for the dish is small; they are available in virtually all corners of the world. Europeans value country salad because it is quick to prepare, looks great, and is eaten instantly. It contains proteins, fats and carbohydrates - all the necessary elements to maintain the vitality of the body. In addition, the salad contains:
- dietary fiber that improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract (in vegetables);
- folic acid, which synthesizes endorphins (in lettuce leaves);
- vitamins (a group of low-molecular organic compounds of relatively simple structure and varied chemical nature) C, E, which perform immunostimulating and rejuvenating functions (in olive oil);
- antioxidants, liver cleansers (in olives);
- bacteria and tiny organisms beneficial to the intestinal tract (in cheese);
- vitamins (a group of low-molecular organic compounds of relatively simple structure and varied chemical nature) B-groups, which have a beneficial effect on nerves, muscles and improve memory (in basil).
Traditional Greek version of village salad
The main “signs” of the traditional version of the Mediterranean salad are:
- feta is a cheese made from sheep or goat milk;
- coarsely chopped ingredients of the dish.
It must be said that feta is not used by chance: its special taste with sourness perfectly sets off the flavor aspects of olives, butter and vegetables. Therefore, if you want to experience a “real” salad, then pay close attention to the ingredients.
Ingredients:
- 12 pcs cherry tomatoes;
- 1 fresh cucumber;
- ½ sweet pepper;
- 15-20 small olives;
- ½ medium onion;
- 1 bunch of dill;
- 2 basil leaves;
- 250 g feta;
- 1 tsp. snow-white wine vinegar;
- 3 tbsp. l. olive oil;
- lettuce leaves;
- salt pepper.
Manufacturing:
- Cut the cucumber and tomatoes into large cubes, pepper into strips, and onion into half rings.
- Finely chop the dill and basil.
- In a bowl, mix vinegar, oil, salt and pepper.
- Pour the mixture over the vegetables and add the herbs.
- Coarsely chop the cheese and olives and add them to the salad.
- Place the salad on the lettuce.
- Serve with the main dish.
Salad with feta cheese
Typically, at home, Greek salad is prepared with feta cheese. It is slightly more sour than feta, but it imparts a no less unique taste to the dish.
Ingredients:
- 200 g of fresh cheese;
- 6-7 new cherry tomatoes;
- 2 small new cucumbers;
- 2 sweet peppers - reddish and yellowish in color;
- 1 salad onion;
- 15-20 large olives;
- 4-5 tbsp. l. oil (olive);
- lettuce;
- oregano, dried basil;
- pepper.
Manufacturing:
- We cut cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers into cubes, peppers into strips, and onions into half rings.
- Mix vegetables.
- Cut the olives in half and add to the vegetables.
- Place lettuce leaves on a plate, vegetables on them, and cheese on top.
- In a small bowl, combine oil, oregano, basil and pepper. We won't add salt, because the cheese is quite salty.
- Pour the dressing over the vegetables.
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Delicious snack in 20 minutes
If guests arrive unexpectedly, you can quickly prepare a Greek salad with feta cheese. A recipe with a photo will help you choose the right proportions of ingredients.
Ingredients:
- 20-30 olives;
- juice of ½ lemon;
- 3-4 large tomatoes;
- 2 new cucumbers;
- 1 bell pepper;
- several lettuce leaves;
- 150 g cheese;
- 4-5 tbsp. l. olive oil;
- dry oregano, basil.
Manufacturing:
- Cut all vegetables into cubes.
- We tear the salad with our hands.
- Mix the ingredients.
- Fill with oil.
- Add basil and oregano.
Recipe for a hearty salad with croutons and chicken
If you want to create a more satisfying Greek salad, you can add fried chicken fillet to it - and your table will be decorated with a tasty meat dish.
Ingredients:
- 500 g chilled chicken fillet;
- 5-6 medium tomatoes;
- bunch of lettuce;
- 150 g cheese;
- 20 pieces of olives;
- 4 tbsp. l. olive oil;
- 2 cloves of young garlic;
- 3 testicles;
- juice of ½ lemon;
- 2 tsp. mustard;
- ½ loaf of white bread (or a pack of cheese-flavored crackers);
- salt pepper.
Manufacturing:
- Beforehand, soak the lettuce for a couple of hours in cool water.
- Place the diced bread on a baking sheet, put it in the oven for 15 minutes, maintain the temperature at 200 degrees.
- Finely chop the garlic.
- Pour oil into a heated frying pan and fry the garlic for 5 minutes.
- Remove the garlic and steam the crackers in the remaining oil. Place them in a bowl.
- Cut the fillet into cubes, fry it with spices in a frying pan, and add to the breadcrumbs.
- Boil the eggs, separate the yolks and whites.
- Knead the yolks, add to the meat and add lemon juice and mustard, also squeeze out the juice of 1 clove of garlic.
- Grate the cheese, cut the tomatoes and cucumbers into large cubes, and place in a dish.
- Finely chop the lettuce and dark olives and add them to a common dish.
- Fill with oil.
- Serve with vegetable dishes and snow-white wine.
The fame of the country salad spreads throughout the world. That's why there are so many options when it comes to making Greek salad. The recipe with cheese can be considered one of the most favorite. And by adding certain ingredients to it, you can make a unique, “own” salad that will remind you of sunny Greece.