Tomato and Cucumber Salad

with Chicory, Feta, and Red Wine Vinaigrette

Makes 4 servings

This looks like a straightforward summer salad—tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce—but thanks to a deeply flavored vinaigrette, it tastes like so much more. I add a good bit of elderflower syrup to the dressing to give it a big aroma and honeyed sweetness. Raw garlic and my stomach don’t get along, so I will usually blanch garlic if it’s destined for a vinaigrette or other raw preparation. It also mellows the garlic’s flavor, which helps let the other ingredients shine through in a complex vinaigrette like this one. It might seem like a fussy step, but if you don’t love the big flavor of raw garlic, simply cover the garlic with water, bring it to a boil, and drain. Repeat once or twice more with fresh water.

Marinated Olives

Makes 2 cups

• 2 cups mixed olives (I use Sevillano, Castelvetrano, and kalamata)
• 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 4 strips orange zest (no pith)
• Extra-virgin olive oil

Line a rimmed baking sheet with a clean towel. Drain and rinse the olives, then spread on the baking sheet to dry for an hour or two.

In a small skillet, toast the fennel seeds over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and toast until warmed through, about 30 seconds. Place the olives in a pint-size jar or other container and add the toasted spices and orange zest. Add enough olive oil to cover the olives completely and cover. Refrigerate for 1 week before using.

Red Wine and Oregano Vinaigrette

Makes 1½ cups

• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons elderflower syrup or 1 tablespoon light honey
• 2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest (from 1 medium orange)
• 1 medium garlic clove, blanched twice and finely grated on a Microplane (about ½ teaspoon)
• ½ red finger chile, finely chopped with seeds (about 4 teaspoons)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ cup oil from Marinated Olives or extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup chopped oregano

In a bowl, combine the vinegar, lemon juice, elderflower syrup, orange zest, garlic, chile, and salt. Slowly whisk in the oil until emulsified, then stir in the oregano. The vinaigrette can be made a day or two ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to use.

For Serving

• 2 cups halved small heirloom or cherry tomatoes
• 3 Persian cucumbers, half cut into obliques, half cut into ½-inch dice
• Kosher salt
• 1 serrano chile, seeded and finely chopped
• ⅓ cup thinly sliced basil
• ½ cup Red Wine and Oregano Vinaigrette
• 1 head speckled romaine, radicchio, or other chicory, cut into ½-inch ribbons (about 4 cups)
• 1 spring onion (or 2 scallions), bulb halved and thinly sliced, greens thinly sliced on the bias
• 2 ounces goat’s milk feta, crumbled (about ½ cup)
• 1 orange, for zesting
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Flaky sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Place the tomatoes and cucumbers in a bowl and season with kosher salt. Add the chile, basil, and ¼ cup of the vinaigrette and gently toss with your hands.

Place the salad greens in a serving bowl and top with the tomato mixture. Drizzle with the remaining ¼ cup vinaigrette. Scatter the spring onion and feta over the top. Grate some orange zest over the salad, drizzle with olive oil, season with flaky salt and pepper, and serve.

The Takeaway

The secret weapon here is the leftover olive oil from our house-marinated olives. We get just as much use, if not more, from the infused oil—which is flavored with olives, chiles, orange zest, and spices—than the olives themselves. We whisk it into vinaigrettes, of course, but also use it as a marinade for fish and as a finishing oil for pizza and vegetable dishes.