Salad on a Stick – Greek Salad Bites
As we cross the threshold from summer to fall, I am harvesting the last of my summer vegetables before cool-weather, fall crops ripen in earnest. There are a few cucumbers and tomatoes hanging on the withering vines, and I want to savor the last of the summer harvest.
A salad would be one option, but for guests, sometimes I want something a little more intriguing – Greek salad on a stick. A quick bite of Greek salad, without lettuce, is a perfect appetizer at a party or part of a small plates menu. And it’s about as simple as it gets.
I originally got the idea for Greek salad bites from a Fine Cooking publication, but I have since modified it, and I’ve recently noticed that there are numerous versions of these tasty morsels online. Here is my version.
Greek Salad Bites
This simple dish can be assembled an hour or two ahead of time and kept covered in the refrigerator. But don’t put the dressing on until just before serving. The ingredients, of course, are flexible. You could add thin slivers of red pepper or celery for example. And while I love parsley and dill in my Greek salad, a fresh oregano leaf might make for an interesting substitution.
Believe it or not, the order of the ingredients on the toothpick is important. I have learned from experience that you don’t want to crush the tomato between other items, and if the feta is the lowermost item, it is likely to crumble and fall off the skewer. When assembling them, think like an engineer and put the sturdy ingredients on the bottom.
It’s also important to consider how guests will eat the tasty tidbits. I believe they are best eaten in a single bite, so all of the flavors mingle together. As a result, each element must be small enough so that they do not add up to too large a mouthful. If the cucumber coins are too large, for example, cut them in halves or quarters.
20 minutes, 16 skewers
For the skewers:
1 small cucumber, preferably English or Persian, cut into 16 coins ¼ inch thick
¼ lb. feta cheese (Arahova is my favorite), cut into 16 small planks ⅛ inch thick
16 flat-leaf parsley leaves
8 Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced in half lengthwise
8 cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half
16 small sprigs fresh dill
16 toothpicks for skewering
For the dressing:
2 Tbsp. good extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
¼ tsp. Dijon mustard
⅛ tsp. dried oregano
- Assemble the bites by placing items in a stack on a plate. Start on the bottom with cucumber. Then add feta, parsley leaf, half an olive (cut side down), half a tomato (cut side down), and a sprig of dill. Gently pierce through the stack with a toothpick to hold it together.
- Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a bowl and drizzle a few drops on each bite just before serving.
This looks very yummy, Max! Will have to try out soon.
Magalys – They are tasty and easy!!
Max did you grow English or Persian cucumbers. My cucumbers which were of the English variety turned out very bitter. Advice or suggestions on this. Recipe looks delicious!
Thanks Sandy. I did grow English cucumbers for the first time this year. (Usually I grow only Kirbys.) Mine were fine – no bitterness. I’m not sure why yours were bitter, but I have read that it may relate to some sort of stress – too little water, too hot, not enough sun, or poor nutrients. The water issue is easy to correct, and you can’t do much about temperature and sunlight. You can also have your soil tested next year (the Cooperative Extension Service will do it for a few bucks – Cornell where we live) to see if your soil is lacking a particular nutrient. Then supplement as needed. Finally, since bitterness is concentrated in the skin and stem end, try peeling and slicing off and discarding that end if you do get one that’s bitter. Hope this helps.
Max