Do you ever find yourself in that predicament where you want to really, really, really badly invite people over for an incredible summer bbq?
But then you think, “who do I think I am, Martha Stewart?”
I mean, she can turn a dustball from under her bed into a dinner centerpiece that rivals anything you’d find at an upscale Beverley Hills party.
Amiright?
But, I got a trick up my sleeve that can go right up your sleeve so you can be the magician you have always wanted to be…. magically transforming something that is “meh” into something that is gloooooorious!!
Ya feel me?
Sorry, what? You don’t believe me?
Well, let’s take a simple (yet delicious) Greek salad.
On it’s own it’s a simple, refreshing salad that anyone would love to eat on a hot summer day.
But, serve it in a way to wow your guests, and YOU, my friend, will be the talk of the party. In this salad, we take something that is one of the ingredients (cucumber) and serve it differently (julienne). Now, you can absolutely do this by showing off your handy dandy knife skills, or you can do it my way by either using a mandoline or a julienne peeler … both of these will make your job a whole lot easier!!
And, if you want to try your hand and magically transforming something else in your repertoire, just take one component of a dish you love and think about how to serve it differently.
For example, when you think Caesar salad, one of the components is Parmesan cheese. So, why not make a bunch of these parmesan cups and use them as serving bowls for your guests to fill with homemade Caesar salad? Smart right?
I’m telling you…magician status.
What other magnificent way can you think of to elevate your party game??
Greek Salad Nests
Ingredients
- 3 English cucumbers
- 4 Roma tomatoes
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- t tsp oregano, dried
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 lemons, juiced
- 1/2 cup feta, crumbled
- 1/2 cup nicoise olives (optional)
Instructions
- On a cutting board, cut the tomatoes into bite sized chunks and place into a mixing bowl.
- Next take two cucumbers, and julienne them using a mandolin, a julienne slicer or a good, sharp knife (see blog post to find out where you can purchase these); set aside.
- Take the other cucumber and chop it into bite sized pieces; add to the bowl with the tomatoes
- In a small bowl, combine the oil, lemon juice, shallot, salt, pepper and oregano; stir to combine and pour over tomato/cucumber salad; add the feta and stir again.
- On each serving dish, take one sixth of the julienned cucumber and make a nest with it on a dish; top with a serving of the tomato/cucumber salad and a few olives if using.
- Repeat with the remaining dishes and serve.*this can also be made on one large platter
