Sunday, April 27, 2008
Food, Recipes

It’s Greek to me

20 Ingredient Greek Salad

By Joey Riley

As the executive chef of Buckhead Diner, I’m faced with the constant challenge of creating American food with a flare that fits the restaurant’s unique atmosphere. The Buckhead Diner has a very distinct vibe, and I have the pleasure of matching the style of the environment with the creativity of the food on the menu. Both the food and the restaurant work harmoniously, borrowing from a retro past, to write the future of American cuisine.

While I learned a lot from my years at the Culinary Institute of America, I will be the first to admit that good food does not necessarily require a specialized degree. That explains why one of my favorite dishes, which has become one of the best new additions to the menu at Buckhead Diner started out as a family reunion special: 20 Ingredient Greek Salad.

When I was looking for a new salad to add to the menu, I used this family reunion fare as a foundation. Once I threw in the feta cheese and olive oil, the 20 Ingredient Greek Salad fit perfectly with the rest of the Buckhead Diner menu. It began as a standard, easy-to-prep classic salad, and with just a few tweaks, we brought it to the level of upscale dining.

The relative who made this for famished family members on special occasions definitely had a good thing going, but, like all Buckhead Diner’s offerings, the 20 Ingredient Greek Salad has undergone some interesting twists and changes.

Even with the addition of few key ingredients that make the salad distinctly ours—like paprika and red chili flake which lend a deep, smoky flavor—it’s still a simple dish to prepare that brings smiles to the faces of those who eat it. Gathering all 20 ingredients might be the most difficult part of the process. Once you have done that, you toss them together and throw them in the fridge.

A lot of salads work for spring and summer, but this salad is particularly good for those hot summer afternoon picnics because of the focus on great fresh cucumbers, which are in season from May through August.

Those cucumbers, ripe tomatoes and nice artichokes are all plentiful this time of year, and give the salad a crisp texture and juicy flavor that is a perfect match for the season.

Most people know to select tomatoes and cucumbers that are firm with great red and green color, respectively, but to pick a good fresh artichoke, it’s important to look for tight leaves with deep green color; rub those leaves together, and they should squeak.

Depending on how hungry you are, I think this salad can serve as an entrée, but at Buckhead Diner, we serve it either as a side dish or as the perfect accompaniment to grilled salmon. The salad’s spicy, smoky attributes and the bold flavor provided by the vinegar and white balsamic contrast wonderfully with the mildness of the roasted fish. SP
Joey Riley is the executive chef of Buckhead Diner. 3073 Piedmont Road. 404-262-3336. www.buckheaddiner.com. Buckhead Diner is participating in the 20th anniversary of Share Our Strength’s Taste of the Nation Atlanta, an elegant evening of gourmet food and wine featuring chefs from nearly 50 of Atlanta’s top restaurants. The event is May 1 at the Georgia Aquarium and  benefits the fight against childhood hunger. Tickets are $250 per person for general admission and $350 per person for VIP admission. Tickets can be purchased online at www.atlantataste.org or by calling 770-436-5151.

20 INGREDIENT GREEK SALAD (Serves 8)

Ingredients:

½ cup cherry tomato, halved
¼ cup eurocukes, diced
¼ cup cucumbers, peeled, seeded and diced

½ cup artichoke hearts, quartered
¼ cup red onion, julienned
½ cup feta, crumbled
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon oregano, chopped
1 tablespoon basil, chopped
1 lemon, zested
¼ cup sherry vinegar
¼ cup red wine vinegar
¼ cup white balsamic
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
½ teaspoon white pepper
¼ teaspoon celery seed
1/8 teaspoon red chili flakes
1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika

Instructions:

Mix well, and refrigerate at least one hour before serving. Serve within 24 hours.