Greek Village Salad with Cashew “Feta”
Serves 4
The real deal Greek salad, no extraneous lettuce leaves or weird anchovies, of course. Just simple tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and olives slung with a“feta” stand-in of delicate, creamy bits of cashews in a tangy, briny marinade. Serve this salad with slabs of crusty peasant-style bread to mop up the blissful tomato-onion-marinade juices that linger on your plate once the vegetables are gone.
Marinated Cashew Feta
- 1 cup unroasted, unsalted whole cashews
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 3 tablespoons good quality extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or white balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons olive brine or more lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
Salad
- 1 pound red ripe tomatoes
- 1 large red onion, peeled
- 1/2 pound seedless cucumbers (1 large English cucumber is usually enough)
- 1/2 cup kalamata olives, without pits
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
1. Place cashews in a mixing bowl and cover with 3 inches of hot water. Stir in 1 teaspoon of salt and let stand for 2 hours or overnight; cashews should be completely soft. Drain well and roughly chop cashews or break into crumbles with your fingers. Combine cashews with the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and the rest of the marinade ingredients in a glass or plastic bowl, cover and let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
2. To assemble the salad, core the tomatoes and dice into bite-sized chunks. Slice the onion in half and slice into thin half moons. Peel the cucumber, slice in half lengthwise and slice into thin half moons. Combine with the olives, cashews and the marinade in a mixing bowl then transfer to a large, deep salad bowl, making sure to scrape any remaining marinade over the salad. Sprinkle with dried oregano and serve.
