Greek Salad

Chef John's big fat Greek salad.

Ingredients

Salad fixings

1 large cucumber

1 cup cherry tomato, cut in half

1/8 red onion, thinly sliced

1/4 red bell pepper, cut into diamonds

1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced in half

1/4 cup green olives, pitted and sliced in half

1 tbsp fresh oregano, minced

1 pinch cayenne

2 oz feta cheese, diced, divided

Dressing

1/8 cup red wine vinegar

1 1/2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation

1. Peel off a few strips of cucumber skin, creating a striped pattern. Cut cucumber in half lengthwise. Cut each half into quarters and slice into 1/4-1/2 inch pieces. Place in colander, toss with kosher salt, and let sit for 10-15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, prepare other vegetables. Rinse cucumbers and allow to drain for 10-15 minutes.

3. Combine vegetables and fresh oregano in a bowl. Season with salt, black pepper, and cayenne. Sprinkle in vinegar and toss thoroughly. Drizzle in olive oil. Add about 2/3 of the feta and toss again. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes.

4. Give salad another mix and season to taste. Scatter remaining feta on top and serve.