Not too long ago I waxed poetic on the superiority of all things tomato.  Well, this year’s tomato season is coming to an end.  It’s a sad, sad thing, but it’s something we must accept.  Soon you’ll be seeing all sorts of apple and pumpkin recipes on here, and I’ll be as happy as I was when tomato season started.

It is fitting that I close out the summer with my favorite tomato-centric recipe: traditional Greek village salad.  You know, the kind with tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, red onion, and feta cheese.  The kind you always get at a Greek-owned restaurant, the kind that’s always good, the kind that can be both diner food and haute cuisine.  Turns out the salad is also pretty great when you make it at home.  It’s a reminder that when all is said and done, nothing can beat a simple dish made with simple, high-quality ingredients.

And of course, it’s easy … so easy you can barely call it a recipe.  In this particular instance, I used heirloom tomatoes, which come in all sorts of varieties and colors – but use whatever tomatoes you have that look good.  The quality of the ingredients makes the salad, so run out and buy the best tomatoes you can find while you still have the chance!

Traditional Greek Village Salad (Horiatiki Salata) with Heirloom Tomatoes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Makes as many servings as you want

Ingredients

5-6 heirloom tomatoes, of various sizes and colors, or whatever tomatoes you like and are fresh, cut into wedges
1 medium cucumber, peeled or unpeeled (your choice), cut in half lengthwise and chopped
1/2 sweet red onion, very thinly sliced
1 red, yellow, or green pepper, cut into strips
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar, or to taste
Few pinches of dried oregano
Salt, pepper to taste
4 ounces (1/4 pound) feta cheese, diced or crumbled
1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives (optional)

Put tomatoes and other vegetables in a bowl.  In separate bowl, mix red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Pour dressing over tomato mixture and toss to mix.  Top with feta cheese and dried oregano.