Nedeljna Šopska Salata
Недељна шопска салата·(neh-del-nya shop-ska sah-lah-tah)
Nedeljni Ručak: The Sacred Sunday Supper
Born on the Black Sea coast and perfected in the taverns of the Balkans, this is the undisputed king of the Sunday table. Most American restaurants get it entirely wrong with cubed cow's milk feta and a bed of sad lettuce. The true genius lies in the grandmotherly architecture: massaging the onions to kill their bite, aggressively draining the vegetable juices, and burying everything under a snowy mountain of finely grated sheep's milk cheese that melts into the dressing only when your fork hits the plate.
Ingredients
- red onion1 small
- kosher salt1/2 tsp
- ripe tomatoes1 lb
- English cucumber1 large
- jarred roasted red peppers2 large
- unrefined sunflower oil3 tbsp
- red wine vinegar1 tbsp
- fresh parsley1/4 cup
- sheep milk feta block6 oz
Method
- 01
Macerate the diced onion with salt in the bottom of your serving bowl.
Using your clean fingertips, gently massage the salt into the onions for about 30 seconds until they soften and release their juices, effectively killing the harsh raw burn.
- 02
Add the tomatoes, cucumbers, and roasted peppers to the bowl, tossing gently to combine.
Let the vegetables sit for 10 minutes so the salt can pull out their excess water, then carefully tip the bowl and drain most of the liquid away to prevent a soggy salad.
- 03
Drizzle the drained vegetables with the oil and vinegar, and fold in the parsley.
Give everything one very gentle toss from the bottom up to keep the tomatoes intact, and taste a cucumber to see if you need a tiny pinch more salt before the cheese goes on.
- 04
Grate the cold feta directly over the bowl to form a thick, opaque white dome.
Use the medium or fine holes of a box grater. Do not mix the salad after adding the cheese; carry it to the table exactly like this so the diners can dig through the snow into the dressed vegetables below.
Notes
Seek out unrefined sunflower oil for the true flavor of the homeland.
If you can't find it, a mild extra-virgin olive oil is a perfectly acceptable adaptation.
Never use pre-crumbled American cow's milk feta.
You need a firm block of Bulgarian Sirene or a high-quality Greek sheep's milk feta stored in brine to achieve the proper melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Use the best tomatoes you can find.
If you are cooking out of season in the US, rely on Campari or halved cherry tomatoes, which retain a higher concentration of sweetness and acidity year-round.
From Cook Balkan in America.