Hot Greek Salad

I remember arriving in Greece late, delayed, frustrated and very, very tired, just wanting a bed and wondering if the place we were renting was in reality any good. We were given a very late supper, a rich wedge of Moussaka contrasting with the combined salad of sweet tomatoes, crunchy cucumber and saline tang of freshly brined olives, plus the creamiest feta cheese I had ever eaten, just enough to line the stomach without feeling heavy, before being shown our apartment.

The next morning I woke to draw back the shutters to the most stunning view of sloping landscapes and crystal waters, an Enchanted April moment that sucks in the breath, a Byronesque love of Greece (Ionian Islands in particular, but maybe that was to do with the Cephalonian wines) began and hasn’t really stopped.

Why am I saying this? Well for no good reason other than this Easter has coincided with the Greek Orthodox one and I felt inspired. Given the weather running up to it has been gloriously sunny and blossom filled in a true Romantic manner that Byron himself would have been proud of, I shopped for the traditional Eastertide lamb and also the components of a Greek Salad to go with it (as an aside, did you know that Greek Salad is really called Country Salad? Choriatikisalata? 

Out comes my Kostas Kalafatis album to play while I prepare the meal. And then it happened. England. Bank Holiday weather. All the fantasy of sun worshipping, Greek Island hopping joy was washed away like some chalk picture by Dick Van Dyke. So I had to revert to plan B (not the CD). Plan B is a warmer version.

Lamb and Hot Greek Salad

1 half shoulder of Lamb boned

1 bunch of oregano, parsley, thyme and tarragon (a good combination of herbs)
150g Feta cheese
1 egg yolk
100g Olives pitted
4 Plum Tomatoes
1 Courgette
2 cloves Garlic
White wine
A ‘mouse paw’ of tomato puree

Oven to 180C (375F, Gas 5)

Stage 1:

Chop the herbs and mix with the feta and egg yolk to create a creamy paste, saving some for garnish. Spread the mix on the inside of the lamb and then roll and tie up into a parcel with string, skin up. (I found that my cheese leaked a lot so you could wrap it in foil for ¾ of the cooking time and open the top to brown skin for the remaining time). Once cooked, remove it and let it rest for a few minutes in a warm place.   

Stage 2:

Fine dice the courgette, scooping out the seeds with a teaspoon first, and the olives. Boil some water in a pan, put the tomatoes in, count to 20 and then lift them out. Skin them (if the skin doesn’t come away, dip back into the water for a few seconds and try again) deseed them and then finely dice them. Puree the garlic. 

Stage 3:

Season the courgette, fry in a pan with some oil and then set aside. Fry the tomatoes and the olives in another pan, heating thoroughly, add the garlic. Stir in a mouse paw of tomato puree (this is the tiniest squeeze of puree but just enough to help the tomatoes and the sauce get some colour) and a good glug of white wine. Bring to the boil and let it reduce a little. Once the lamb is ready to carve reheat and add the courgettes (they are done separately so as not to colour).

Carve the lamb into slices trying to keep the cheese with it. Put the tomato mix on the side, or over the meat, or over some new potatoes that have been lightly crushed (skin on).

“There once was a woman from Smyrna

Who ran a cracking taverna...” (that was Byron, right?)

Kristos Anesti!