Rocket & Peppers Salad with Feta and Mandarin Vinaigrette

I do not post salads very often but I can assure you that we eat them on a daily basis. Being a Greek, my all times favourite salad which makes it to the table 9 out of 10 times is, of course, the Greek Salad. I do make other salads as well but since I only post about once a week, I usually post main dishes and desserts.

I made this salad late in September, when The grocery of the Mediterranean Diet gifted me some of their prized products to try. Among other products was this prized Mandarin Fruit preserve, from the island of Chios, made with the variety of mandarins called Citrus deliciose tenore. The fruit preserve can be eaten on its own or on top of other desserts but try it in this salad and you will be surprised.

This salad is quite original and combines a lot of different tastes and textures: peppery rocket, sweet bell peppers, salty feta, tangy goji berries, crunchy peanuts and the sweet and sour vinaigrette, with stripes of sweet mandarins, adds a delightful aroma and taste.

You can find the Mandarin Fruit Preserve at the Grocery of the Mediterranean Diet, which is situated at the corner of 1 Sophocleous Street and Aristidou Street No. 11. Telephone: +30 210 3234612 and e-mail: [email protected].

Rocket & Peppers Salad with Feta and Mandarin Vinaigrette

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Serves: 2 – 3

Ingredients:

2 cups rocket
Bell peppers, 1/2 of each colour: yellow, orange and red, julienned
100 grams feta
20 goji berries
20 peanuts, peeled

Mandarin Vinaigrette:

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 clove roasted garlic
1 heaped tbsp mandarin fruit preserve
Salt
Freshly grated black pepper
1/4 tsp oregano

Directions:

Wash the vegetables and let them dry.
Cut the rocket by hand in smaller pieces. Put it in a salad bowl and add the bell peppers, peanuts and goji berries. Add pieces of feta on top.
Mash the garlic with a fork and put it in a jar with all the remaining salad dressing ingredients. Shake well, taste and adjust the seasonings.
Pour the dressing and mix the salad just before you serve it.

You can find many Greek recipes in my cookbook “More Than A Greek Salad”, and “Mint, Cinnamon & Blossom Water, Flavours of Cyprus, Kopiaste!” both available on all Amazon stores.