Author Notes
Somehow or other I never considered squash or sweet potatoes having a 'Greek edge' but I couldn't have been more wrong! This salad turned out to be a particularly delicious combo, taking the classic Greek Salad to new heights ... and ... the most deliciously-sweet tomatoes picked just 10 minutes before salad assembly from my neighbour's garden were the proverbial 'icing on the cake'! —Fiona Kirk
Ingredients
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1 teaspoon
fennel seeds
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1 teaspoon
cumin seeds
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1 teaspoon
coriander seeds
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200 grams
feta cheese
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1
small aubergine
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1
sweet potato or equivalent amount of butternut squash
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1
medium red onion
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1/2
cucumber
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6
super-ripe medium-sized tomatoes
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100 grams
Greek black olives
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6
fresh basil leaves
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juice of half a lemon
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Greek extra virgin olive oil
Directions
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Quickly toast all the seeds in a dry pan until they start to 'pop' then transfer them to a mortar and pestle or spice grinder and crush.
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In a bowl, mix a couple of tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil with the seeds, dice the feta into bite-sized cubes, add them to the mix, ensuring they are well-coated, cover the bowl and leave to marinate for as long as possible (overnight is good).
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Peel and cube the sweet potato or squash, coat well with extra virgin olive oil, a scattering of sea salt and plenty of freshly-ground black pepper, place on a baking tray, leaving space between each cube and roast in a pre-heated oven (220C) for around 30 minutes, turning occasionally until each cube is slightly crisp on the outside and still soft inside.
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Dice the aubergine, scatter on a non-stick baking tray, place below the sweet potato/squash and roast for around 15 minutes or until the dice are slightly brown around the edges - turn occasionally.
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Peel, de-seed and finely slice the cucumber, peel and very finely slice the red onion, roughly chop the tomatoes and shred the fresh basil leaves.
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To finish: place everything in a large bowl, add the lemon juice, a little more extra virgin olive oil (don't be stingy!) and mix well with your hands before serving.
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