Greek salad with marinated roasted grapes, the usual suspects and fried feta

Spring is particularly frugal with sun hours this year, so to generate that natural happiness I think we have to be kind to ourselves. Absolutely order that bikini, perhaps you can wear it in the shower! Do book that holiday with one of the 2347 travel vouchers you have left from last year, there’s a slight chance you might make it! Sure, eat a salad, but make sure there’s some deep fried cheese on it!

I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but the absolute star of this dish is in fact NOT the deep fried cheese, but it’s the marinated oven roasted grapes. A friend brought these over for dinner once paired with burrata (Luuk you legend) which was an absolute delight, and which made me very excited to try out various other traditionally-tomato-forward salads that could be replaced with these grapes. That is not to say that the deep fried feta is not also a star. She very much is.

Ingredients #

Ingredients for 2:

• 400gr grapes (I used white grapes)
• 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon of fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 lemon
• 1 red onion
• ½ cucumber
• A small bunch of dill
• A small bunch of parsley
• 150gr Kalamata olives (or other olives you prefer)
• 150gr feta
• Panko
• 1 egg
• Vegetable oil
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Black Pepper

Method #

1. In a medium bowl grate the zest of 1 lemon and a garlic clove. Add the grapes, red wine vinegar, a few generous drizzles of olive oil, the fennel seeds and oregano. Season with black pepper and salt and set aside for now to marinate.

2. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Celsius. When it’s hot-hot-hot pour the marinated grapes onto a baking dish and roast for 10-15 minutes or until a little blistered.

3. In the meantime pit your olives. I find the easiest way to do this is to press it down with the flat side of a knife to sort of squeeze the pit through. If you’re not fussed about eating olives in a salad with the pit still in, feel free to skip this step! Add the olives to a large mixing bowl.

4. Chop the cucumber in half moons, or other shapes you really like, and put in the mixing bowl. Thinly slice your red onion, and finely chop your dill and parsley and add that to the mixing bowl as well.

5. In a large dutch oven, or other pot with a heavy bottom add enough vegetable oil to submerge the feta. If you have an oil thermometer you can use it to heat up the oil to about 175-180 degrees Celsius. If you don’t have one, no problemo: heat up the oil over high heat and test the temperature with little crumbs of panko. If the panko starts sizzling immediately when you toss it in the oil should be hot enough.

6. In the meantime, whisk your egg smooth and pour it onto a shallow plate. On a second shallow plate add a layer of panko. Drench your feta through the egg, then put it onto the panko, turning around and pressing the sides gently to make sure it’s thoroughly coated.

7. When the oil is hot CAREFULLY add the feta to your pot and fry until golden brown and crispy on all sides (a few minutes), flipping it around once to ensure even browning. Take the feta out of the oil when it’s done and place it on some kitchen paper while you prep the salad.

8. Take the grapes out of the oven and add them to the rest of team salad. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Drizzle over some olive oil and the juice of the lemon you zested earlier. Plate the salad onto your serving bowl of choice, slab that crisp-crisp feta on top and enjoy!

Love yourselves a little extra this week! Eat a salad with something deep fried on it.