Greek Salad, Tzatziki & Chicken Souvlaki Wings
I was feeling very nostalgic yesterday thinking about the last big trip we took in 2019 to Greece. One of the days we were there in Crete, we took a tour with a very special guide. He brought us to the village where he grew up in the mountains where the olive trees grow. We picked fresh vegetables and herbs from the garden and learned how to make traditional Greek dishes in the kitchen of a local restaurant.
Then he brought us to his home where we met his 95 year old mother who made us cookies and lemonade from lemon trees in their backyard. We also tasted their homemade family wine right out of the barrel. We met such wonderful people that day, none of which spoke English except for our guide. The day ended with lots of hugs, kisses, teary goodbyes, flowers, a Cretan cookbook and shots of Raki. We absolutely fell in love with the people there.
After reminiscing about the experience with my husband, I decided to cook Greek food for dinner. The flavors immediately brought us back to Greece. What I love about Greek food is that the ingredients are so simple, but the flavors are fresh and unmistakable.
Here are the recipes from our meal last night:
Traditional Greek Salad
This salad is usually served in Greece from early spring until Fall when the ingredients are in season and at their freshest. Of course you can find these ingredients year round at the grocery store, but this is why it always tastes better in Greece! Fun fact: Did you know that a traditional Greek Salad doesn’t contain any lettuce? Sometimes I put a little bit of chopped romaine in mine at home, but a true, traditional Greek Salad only includes the following:
Ingredients for the salad:
Tomato, cut into large wedges
Cucumber, cut into thick chunks
Green pepper, cut horizontally into strips
Red onion, sliced
Kalamata olives, served with the pits
Feta cheese, served on top in one large piece
For your Greek salad dressing, keep it simple:
4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
Sprinkle of dried oregano
Dash of sea salt
Directions:
Assemble tomatoes, cucumber chunks and peppers in layers at the bottom of the plate. Top with sliced red onion, olives and top with large piece of feta. Drizzle dressing on top and enjoy!
Tzatziki Sauce:
Ingredients:
1 medium sized cucumber
8 oz. full fat Greek yogurt
2 garlic gloves, crushed
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill
Directions:
Peel and grate cucumber. Then place grated cucumber in a mesh strainer. Apply pressure with a dry towel and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Place in a bowl with the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
Refrigerate for 1 hour up to overnight before serving. This is an important step to allow ingredients to release their flavors.
Serve with Pita Bread or Chicken Souvlaki Wings (recipe below).
Chicken Souvlaki Wings
I didn’t learn this recipe while I was in Greece, but I was inspired by all the delicious Chicken Souvlaki we ate while we were there. These wings pair perfectly with the Tzatziki sauce in the recipe above.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice and zest from 1 large lemon
1/4 cup dry white wine
5 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoons sea salt
1 tablespoons black pepper
3 lb. chicken wings
Lemon slices for garnish
Tzatziki sauce for serving (recipe above)
Directions:
Make a marinade by mixing olive oil, lemon juice & zest, wine, garlic cloves, oregano, salt & pepper in a bowl. Remove wings from packaging and pat dry with paper towels. Add wings to marinade, cover and refrigerate for 3 hours.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place wings on a large baking sheet ensuring none of them are touching each other. Bake for 45 minutes. Turn heat up to broil, place wings on the top rack and cook for an additional 5 minutes until crispy and golden brown. Remove from oven, plate with lemon wedges as garnish and serve with Tzatziki sauce. Enjoy!
