Recipe: Big Fat Greek Salad

As the Food Editor for organic box scheme Abel & Cole, Rachel de Thample knows her vegetables. Here's her mouthwatering salad recipe using feta in an interesting new way:

'Jassy Davis is a genius food writer, blogger, author and now a colleague of mine,' says Rachel. 'Of the many wonderful dishes of hers I’ve tried, her fried feta is one of my favourites – simple, quick and utterly delicious. It’s certainly the icing on this wonderfully healthy salad.'

Includes 5 of your 5 a day

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 red onion, thinly sliced

1kg tomatoes (try a mix of colours if available)

1 tsp fresh oregano or thyme leaves

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

a little olive oil

1 cucumber, thinly sliced

2 peppers (a mix of colours), cut into rounds (seeds and stem discarded)

4 tbsp pitted olives or 2 tbsp capers (or a combination)

300–400g feta

2 tbsp plain white flour (gluten-free flour also works)

a gloss of runny honey

zest of 1 lemon

a large handful of fresh herbs (dill, mint, basil, parsley, coriander, chervil, chives)

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Place the thinly sliced onions in a bowl and pour boiling water over them. Leave to soak and soften while you make up the rest of the salad.

Slice the tomatoes (or halve them if they’re cherry tomatoes). Sprinkle with the oregano or thyme and a pinch of salt and pepper. Splash the vinegar over. Arrange on your plates or a serving platter and add a drizzle of olive oil.

Scatter the cucumber and pepper slices over the top. Drain the onions and add them to the salad along with the mixed leaves. Gently fold through the tomatoes and dot the olives and/or capers on top.

Cut the feta into 4 large chunks. Soak the cheese in water for a minute, then dust with the flour, coating well on all sides. Heat a large frying pan and add a gloss of oil. Add the feta and fry until golden on all sides.

Top the salad with the feta. Add a very faint gloss of honey and follow with a drizzle of olive oil. Dust with a pinch of salt and pepper and scatter over the lemon zest. Finish with the herbs.

Five: 150 effortless ways to eat 5+ fruit and veg a day by Rachel de Thample is published by Ebury Press, £14.99