Name: Zucchini Ribbon Greek-Style Salad
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 2 garlic cloves , minced; ½ teaspoon table salt; ¼ teaspoon pepper; 2 zucchini (8 ounces each), trimmed and peeled lengthwise into ribbons; 4 ounces cherry tomatoes , quartered; 4 ounces block feta cheese , cut into ½-inch cubes; ½ cup pitted kalamata olives; ½ cup pepperoncini , stemmed and sliced into rings; ¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley; 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh dill; 3 scallions , cut into ½-inch pieces

Why This Recipe Works

At the peak of summer, when we find zucchini overrunning our backyard gardens and farmers' markets, we like to swap them for cucumbers in this twist on the classic chopped Greek salad known as horiatiki, or “village salad.” Smaller (no larger than 8-ounce) zucchini tend to be sweeter and more tender than larger zucchini, which made them appealing in this raw application. Cutting the zucchini into ribbons accentuated the zucchini's best qualities and made for an elegant presentation, especially when tossed with cherry tomatoes, feta, olives, pepperoncini, scallions, a generous handful of fresh herbs, and a punchy lemon-garlic dressing.

Before You Begin

Be sure to find zucchini that weigh about 8 ounces each; larger zucchini are more difficult to cut into even ribbons because their seeds can be large and coarse, and their flavor can be bitter when eaten raw. You can substitute an equal weight of crumbled feta for the block feta.

Instructions

Whisk oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper together in large bowl. Add zucchini, tomatoes, feta, olives, pepperoncini, parsley, dill, and scallions and toss until evenly combined. Arrange zucchini mixture on platter. Serve.