The recipe for the marinate appears to be correct according to my observations while living in Greece several years ago. I was told by one cook in a little neighborhood taverna that his preparation for the meat (lamb or pork) was Extra Virgin Olive Oil, lemon juice, lots of dried Oregano plus cracked black pepper. Cut up lean meat into sizes of 2.5 cm (1 inch) cubes. Skewer the pieces on bamboo sticks and soak them in the marinate overnight. Specific measurements I do not have. This marinate is also used for grilled chicken.
The posting for the salad is not traditional. The common village taverna does not serve salads that contain lettuce. It is a difficult crop to grow there. The village salad is:
Sweet tomatoes cut into wedges Sweet yellow onion pieces Cucumber slices
Mix equal amounts of these items in a deep dish plate. Pour light olive oil over the items until it is about 1/2 inch deep in the bottom of the plate. Then liberally sprinkle the items with dry Oregano flakes. Add a piece of feta cheese to the top of the heap. The feta should be the variety that is slightly dry (similar to bleu cheese) about 1/2 inch thick and about 5 inches by 5 inches in size. Black and/or green olives may be added as well as slices of green peppers.
There you have it - the traditional Greek Village Salad!!! (usually served with thick slices of greek bread and a plate of tzatziki (spread the tzatziki on the bread)). |