Tag: feta

Appetizer Vegetarian · Gluten Free · Salad

Watermelon and feta salad with marinated olives and preserved lemon

Belinda

Recipe by Ottolenghi

1 small watermelon (1.6kg)

Kalamata olives:
50ml olive oil
1 medium red chili, thinly sliced into rounds
1 small garlic clove, skin on and lightly crushed
3 thyme sprigs
1 rosemary sprig
35g preserved lemons skin, julienned (the skin from about 2 small preserved lemons)
25 black Kalamata olives, pitted (100g)
coarse sea salt and black pepper

To serve:
100g feta, lightly crumbled into 1–2cm chunks
70g pickled watermelon rind, drained (optional; see introduction)
15g basil leaves
10g mint leaves

Place the olive oil for the olives in a small saucepan on a medium heat with the chili, garlic, thyme, rosemary and preserved lemon, along with ¼ teaspoon of salt and a grind of black pepper. Warm through gently for 4–5 minutes then remove from the heat. Set aside to cool, then pour over the olives. Set aside until ready to use: they can be used straight away but their flavor will intensify if you keep them marinating for 24 hours before serving.

Quarter the watermelon, cut out the red flesh and set the skin – with the white rind attached – aside. Cut each section of red flesh, width-ways, into 1cm thick slices, then cut each slice into smaller triangles, about 6cm long and 3cm wide. You will need 600g of flesh (discarding the seeds if you like) for the salad, so anything in excess of this can be set aside for snacking. If pickling the watermelon rind, see here for instructions on what to do next.

When ready to serve, spread the fresh watermelon wedges out on a large platter or individual plates and sprinkle the feta on top, along with the pickled watermelon rind, if using. Spoon over the olives and their marinade, discarding the garlic, rosemary and most of the thyme. Finish with the basil and mint leaves, tearing them as you go, along with a couple of sprigs of the thyme and serve at once.

Accompaniments · Appetizer Vegetarian

Feta, pine nut, olive and date dip

Belinda

This starter contains crumbled feta, chopped olives, pines nuts and dates. The preserved lemon cuts through the rich creamy taste.

5 fresh Medjool dates, pitted, chopped
1/3 cup mixed olives, pitted, drained, chopped
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
200g feta cheese, crumbled
1 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped, plus extra to serve
2 tsp preserved lemon rind, finely chopped, plus extra wedges to serve
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp honey
Crusty bread, toasted, to serve
Vegetables, chopped, to serve

Set aside 1 tablespoon each of the chopped dates, olives and pine nuts.

Place feta, parsley, preserved lemon, oil and the remaining dates, olives and pine nuts in a medium bowl. Season with pepper. Stir to combine. Transfer to a serving plate.

Drizzle dip with honey. Top with reserved dates, olives, pine nuts, extra preserved lemon and extra parsley.
Serve with toasted crusty bread and chopped vegetables.

Pasta · Vegetarian pasta

One-Pan Orzo With Spinach and Feta

Belinda1 Comment

Similar to spanakorizo, a Greek spinach and rice dish, this easy, meatless meal features orzo, spinach, peas and scallions. It is deeply satisfying but still on the lighter side of pasta recipes, thanks to all those vegetables.
A little feta gives it creaminess and tang, while some lemon zest brightens everything up. It makes a complete meal on its own, or, if you’re looking for something more substantial, serve this as a hearty side dish to roasted meats or fish.

Recipe c/o Melissa Clark

One-Pan Orzo With Spinach and Feta

Serves 4
2 tbsp unsalted butter
4 large scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
8 oz baby spinach leaves (8 cups), coarsely chopped
1 tsp kosher salt
1 ¾ cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup orzo
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
¾ cup crumbled feta (3 ounces), plus more for garnish
½ cup frozen peas, thawed (optional)
1 cup chopped fresh dill, or use parsley or cilantro

Heat a 10-inch skillet over medium, then melt butter, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in about three-quarters of the scallions (saving some of the green parts for garnish) and garlic, and cook until softened, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes.
Stir in spinach, adding in batches if it doesn’t all fit in the pan at once, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until spinach is wilted, about 5 minutes.
Stir in stock and bring to a simmer. Stir in orzo, lemon zest and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until orzo is nearly cooked through and most of the liquid is absorbed, 10 to 14 minutes, stirring once or twice.
Stir in cheese, peas (if you like) and dill, cover the pan, and cook for another 1 minute, to finish cooking and warm the peas. To serve, sprinkle with more cheese and the reserved scallions.