Although I have never made the trip to the Mediterranean to visit Greece I decided to use this land as the inspiration for this post. Melbourne has the largest Greek population outside of Greece and it was in Lonsdale St where I began my appreciation for Greek cuisine.
After just coming out of chef’s school where food was taken so seriously I can vividly remember how happy (and possibly relieved) I was while eating in Lonsdale St as well as two other areas in Melbourne – Lygon St and Chinatown. The food was bold, fresh and simplistic and the people were passionate.
For Greek salad:
- choose your tomatoes carefully, they should be perfectly ripe
- use decent olives – I used a selection of mixed varieties, marinated in roasted capsicum and garlic
- you can opt for a sharp, crumbly feta as I have or a smooth, creamy kind
- eat the salad with lamb keftes/koftas and yoghurt dressing
On a showing-off note – I did grow the yellow teardrop tomatoes at home, I don’t know if I could taste the difference between them and their red, round counterparts however the two together made for very attractive salads over summer.
What is; “Capsicum” and where in Seattle can I purchase it?
Capsicum is any type of pepper
what is a red capsicum? Doesn’t sound like anything I grow in my garden.
Capsicums are what we call bell peppers in the USA
Identification
Capsicum is the proper name given to the group of annual plants that includes the jalapeno, cayenne and other bell peppers. Red capsicum refers to the varieties that turn a red color when they are mature.
Types
There are several types of red capsicum: the large red capsicum, the bullhorn and the baby red variety. Each type has a distinctive taste and appearance.
Uses
Red capsicums are used mainly in spicy dishes; they add heat and flavor to ethnic dishes. Other types can add sweetness with a mild, peppery flavor.
Thanks for the insight into capsicums!
Sara