HORIATIKI GREEK SALAD

Served as a terrific first course or super summer lunch, our Greek salad will take your taste-buds to the sea. OPA!

Prepared in 15 minutes or less.

¾ lbs tomatoes, seeded, quartered
2 cups diced seeded peeled cucumber
1/2 green pepper, thinly sliced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp capers
3 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1½ Tbs red wine vinegar
½ tsp fresh or dried oregano
¼ cup fresh feta cheese (option to place atop salad intact)
6-8 pitted Kalamata olives

Cut all the ingredients except the olives into pieces and arrange in a dish with the tomatoes first, then the onion, pepper, cucumber and lastly the Feta cheese. Garnish with the olives. Before serving, sprinkle with oregano, salt, olive oil and red wine vinegar. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Serve with toasted pita.) Serves 4.

Athens, the intellectual birthplace of democracy, the great philosopher Socrates and home of the ancient Acroplis and majestic Parthenon, is fast becoming a destination where antiquity meets cultural edginess and epicurean delights. While indulging in this meal, allow your mind to wander outdoors and imagine the riveting well-preserved temples, bits of ancient Greek sculpture and narrow streets teeming with merchants, philosophers and legislators greeting each other with Kalipsera, Good Evening.