Ingredients

Method

For the dressing:
• 2 medium red onions
• ½ cup red wine vinegar
• ½ cup olive oil
• 2 t salt
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 300 g green olives
• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 1½ T fresh oregano leaves (or dried oregano 1½ t), plus ½ T fresh oregano leaves to garnish
• 4 Lebanese cucumbers
• 5 peaches (or 4 persimmons)
• 150 g feta
• salt, to taste
• fresh or brined vine leaves or greens (optional)

Method

Ingredients

1. To make the dressing, thinly slice the red onions lengthways. Add to a bowl, along with the red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt and lots of black pepper.

2. Crush the olives with the base of a glass and discard the stones. Add the flesh to the bowl with the other ingredients, along with the garlic, lemon zest and juice.

3. Tear the oregano leaves in half as you add them to the bowl. Let the red onion and garlic sit in the dressing to macerate while you prep the salad.

4. Trim the ends of the cucumbers and cut them into rough shards. Slice the peaches or persimmons, place them neatly in a bowl and squeeze over some more lemon juice to prevent discolouring. Cut the blocks of feta crosswise into thin batons.

5. Add the cucumbers and peaches or persimmons to the dressing and toss gently with your hands. Season with salt.

6. Divide the salad between the serving plates (which have possibly been lined with brined vine leaves or greens), reserving some of the dressing to pour over the finished salad. Finish by scattering over ½ T fresh oregano leaves.

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Extracted with permission from Upwards by Karen Dudley, published by Penguin Random House. Photographer: Claire Gunn