Greek Salad with Fried Feta

Sometimes it's nice to skip the heavy stuff and stick with something light and healthy for dinner - this salad isn't exactly healthy but it's definitely nice and light, and tastes like summer to me. I've become a bit obsessed with Greek salad lately - so fresh, simple, and delicious. I often make a simplified version for my lunch - lettuce, tomato, cucumber and a little feta; easy to assemble, healthy (except the feta, which I try to go light on if it's an everyday lunch) and tasty.

Tonight's evening meal was our first escape from Christmas leftovers - there was so much leftover turkey, ham, and miscellaneous other bits and pieces that preparing new food really hasn't been required at all - and hence we didn't really want anything meaty or heavy. It also didn't really appeal to spend too long in the kitchen, so this seemed perfect - about 5 minutes to put the salad together, which I did in the afternoon, then 5 minutes to fry the feta just before serving.

If you're not an olive fan you can definitely omit them - and I used nice, strong goat feta (I looooove goat's milk cheese) but it will work perfectly with the milder (and cheaper) cow's milk feta. In fact, you can change in and out whatever you like - that's the beauty of salad - so I almost feel silly giving you a recipe, but I particularly like this combo so if you want to do it my way you can. ;-)

What do you sub in for normal dinner over the summer? Have you got through your Christmas leftovers yet?

Greek Salad with Fried Feta
Ingredients
about 150g mixed salad leaves (I just get the mixed stuff, but whatever you like)
1 small red onion, sliced
4 tomatoes, cut into wedges
1/3 telegraph cucumber, cubed
200g olives (I usually get a mixed pot from the deli)
300g feta

Layer the leaves, onion, tomato, cucumber and olives in a large bowl. Slice the feta into square or rectangular pieces, about 1cm thick. Heat a small amount of olive oil in a large non-stick frypan and fry the feta for a couple of minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Turn carefully to avoid losing the crust. When fried on both sides transfer into the salad bowl and serve immediately. Serves 4.