THE STUDENT VEGETARIAN COOK BOOK

- METHOD -

Beat together the oil and vinegar with a fork and season with salt and pepper. As oil and vinegardo not amalgamate but separate out, beat the dressing again just before serving.

- LEMON ANDTOMATO DRESSING

- INGREDIENTS -

8 oz/250 g ripe tomatoes

I small lemon

I tablespoon olive oil

- METHOD -

Salt Pepper

Peel, chop and sieve the tomatoes, pressing as much flesh through the sieve as you can (they are very difficult to liquify unless you skin them first). Squeeze the lemon juice and add with the oil. Season lightly with salt and pepper and beat with a fork.

-YOGHURT CHEESE­

Dressing

- INGREDIENTS -

4 tablespoons Yoghurt Cheese

(see page 180)

4 tablespoons olive oil lif2 tablespoons wine vinegar

- METHOD -

Soften the cheese with a fork. Mix together the oil and vinegar and beat gradually into the cheese (do not add the cheese to the oil). Beat as smooth as possible. The dressing should be very thick. If left to stand, it may separate slightly: beat again with a fork before serving.

-YOGHURT DRESSING- INGREDIENTS -

4 tablespoons olive oil Salt

11/2 tablespoons wine vinegar Pepper

8 oz/250 g Greek or otfter plain

About 1j2 teaspoon soft brown sugar yogfturt (if you use sftarp yogfturt, you may need extra sugar)

- METHOD -

Mix together the oil and vinegar. Beat gradually into the yoghurt (do not add the yoghurt to the oil: thick-set yoghurt may not blend). Season lightly with salt and pepper and add sugar to taste.

- GREEK SALAD-

For the whole of a holiday on one of the less popular Greek islands (Samos, just off the coast of Turkey) I had this salad every day, not from choice but because very little food was imported and at that time of the year the only ingredients in season were onions, cucumbers and tomatoes. Chiefly because the tomatoes were so delicious, I did not become tired of it, but, on the contrary, have since often made the nearest approximation possible in this country. The tomatoes were huge and, because of the sun, sweet and squashy on one side and greenish on the other, so that each onewasalmost like.two different sorts of fruit. They were served in thick, wedgeshaped slices; the cucumbers were peeled and roughly chopped, and thick rings of red or white onion were scattered overthe top ofthe salad. The otheringredients were olives and Greek Feta cheese sprinkled with thyme (the whole island smelt ofthyme). As is usual in Greece, dressing was not served but olive oil and slices of lemon were left on the table.

If you can find large Mediterranean tomatoes, which are irregularly shaped and slightly ribbed, use them (but do not substitute the large, smooth, so-called 'beefsteak' variety, which are not at all the same). Red onions are slightly milder than the usual kind; they are a deep, purplish red which happensto go particularly well with the red of tomatoes. If you cannotgetfresh thyme, omit the herb completely: dried thyme will just taste gritty.

The salad is as near instant as you can get: because simplicity is part of its character, do not worry too much about presentation. Serve with hot bread. For 4.

• INGREDIENTS.

1 '14-1 '12 Ib1625-750 9 Mediterranean or prm ordinary tomatoes .

8 inch/20 cm piece cucumber

2 onions (preferably red)

A few sprigs fresh thyme

12 oz-I Ib/375-500 9

Greek Feta cheese

4 ozl125 9 black olives

1 lemon

• METHOD .

Wash the tomatoes and chop into thick wedges or slices, discarding the hard cores. Wash or peel the cucumber and cut into chunks. Peel and coarsely chop or thickly slice the onions. Wash the thyme, blot dry with kitchen paper and pull the leaves from the stems.

2 Cut the cheese into 4 slabs and place in 4 serving-bowls or on plates. Sprinkle with the thyme. Put the tomato and cucumber round or over it. Scatter the onion on top and stud with the olives. Quarterthe lemon and serve separatelywith the oil, salt and pepper.