Greek-Inspired Salad With Crispy Grape Leaves

Name: Greek-Inspired Salad With Crispy Grape Leaves
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Middle East
Ingredients: ¼ cup olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons, divided; 5-6 preserved grape leaves, rinsed and thoroughly dried with paper towels; Kosher salt; ½ head romaine lettuce, cut into 2-inch pieces; 1 small red onion, sliced; 3-4 tomatoes, cut into chunks; 4 Persian cucumbers, cut into chunks; 2 tablespoons large capers, rinsed and sliced in half; ½ cup pitted Kalamata olives, roughly chopped; 5 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar; Freshly ground black pepper to taste; ½ pound feta cheese

Total Time: 15 minutes

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes

Recipe Journey

Bilozerka, Ukraine and Maryina Gorka, BelarusTel AvivMoshav Herut, Israel

JerusalemTel Aviv

When Anat Rivlin was 12-years-old, her mother took her and her sister to the Greek islands for a girls trip. Every day, they would walk over to the local taverna. And when they returned home to Jerusalem, her mother Nechama made a salad like the one they had enjoyed at the taverna. Though, Anat concedes, that her mother may have tweaked it over the years, adding lettuce.

The grape leaves, which Nechama grew in Jerusalem, add a tannic note. You can find them in brine at Middle Eastern stores. Be sure to rinse them to remove the salty brine.

Israel’s late first lady Nechama Rivlin collected over 1000 recipes. Explore more of them here.

Ingredients

4 servings

¼ cup olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
5-6 preserved grape leaves, rinsed and thoroughly dried with paper towels
Kosher salt
½ head romaine lettuce, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 small red onion, sliced
3-4 tomatoes, cut into chunks
4 Persian cucumbers, cut into chunks
2 tablespoons large capers, rinsed and sliced in half
½ cup pitted Kalamata olives, roughly chopped
5 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
½ pound feta cheese

SaladsVegetarianQuickEasyShabbatShavuotMiddle EastVegetable-Forward

Preparation

Step 1

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the grape leaves and fry them for about 5 minutes, until they are crispy. Remove the leaves from the pan, place them on a paper towel-lined plate, and season lightly with salt. Set aside.

Step 2

In a wide bowl, add the lettuce, onion, tomatoes, cucumbers, capers, and olives. Season with ¼ cup of olive oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste, and toss to coat the vegetables. Top the salad with the crispy grape leaves, crumble the feta over the top, and serve immediately.

This recipe first appeared on the website of Asif: Culinary Institute of Israel. Find more Asif recipes here.

The Home of Jewish Food

Ingredients

Preparation

Step 1

Step 2

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