Bulgarian
Shopska Salad
Ripe tomatoes, crisp cucumber, roasted pepper, onion, and parsley dressed with sunflower oil and wine vinegar, then blanketed with finely grated Bulgarian white brined cheese.
4 servings · 20 minutes prep · 8 minutes cook
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 1 pound ripe tomatoes, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
- 12 ounces English cucumber, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 medium green bell pepper
- 1/4 small red onion, finely chopped and rinsed in cold water
- 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
Dressing and Cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 ounces Bulgarian sirene or firm block feta, well chilled for grating
Directions
Char and Cool the Pepper
- Heat the broiler with a rack about 5 inches from the element. Broil the green bell pepper on a baking sheet, turning with tongs, until blistered and blackened in patches, 6 to 8 minutes. Cover in a bowl for 5 minutes, peel away loose skin, remove the seeds, and cool completely before cutting into 1/2-inch pieces.
Release the Tomato Juices
- Combine the cooled pepper, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and parsley. Sprinkle with the kosher salt, toss, and rest for 5 minutes.
- Add the red wine vinegar, sunflower oil, and black pepper. Toss gently, keeping the vegetable pieces intact.
Make the Snowy Cheese Cap
- Transfer the dressed vegetables and their juices to a shallow serving bowl. Finely grate the cold sirene or feta evenly over the entire surface and serve without tossing the cheese through.
