Pickled Green Tomato and Marinated Feta Salad

Chad and Alex Kelly, the married duo behind Spread Market & Larder in Nashville, take full advantage of the city’s thriving agriculture scene, often harvesting a bounty of local produce at nearby farmers markets to use in their recipes. This salad’s vibrant, fresh green tomatoes get bathed in a brine with an acidity meter that falls somewhere between that of a dill pickle and that of a bread-and-butter pickle: not too sour, not too sweet. The result is a bright and bold chunky salad that can be enjoyed on its own or used as a base. “You can add beans, protein, put it on toast…,” Alex says, trailing off. The possibilities are endless.

Ingredients

Pickled Green Tomato and Marinated Feta Salad (Yield: 4 to 6 servings)

FOR THE PICKLED GREEN TOMATOES

1 cup white vinegar
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp. salt
½ tsp. black peppercorns
Pinch saffron
1 qt. green tomatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes

FOR THE MARINATED FETA

Zest of 1 lemon
¼ tsp. dried oregano
¼ tsp. black pepper
¼ tsp. dried rosemary
½ cup olive oil
8 oz. feta, cut into ½-inch cubes

Preparation

To make the pickled green tomatoes: Bring vinegar, water, sugar, salt, and black peppercorns to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Once the mixture starts to boil, take the mixture off the heat and sprinkle in saffron. Cool the mixture to room temperature, and pour over the green tomatoes.

Let sit in the refrigerator overnight before removing the tomatoes from the liquid to serve.

To make the marinated feta: Whisk lemon zest, oregano, rosemary, black pepper, and olive oil in a bowl until loosely combined. Pour over chunked feta and gently fold it in.

Serve immediately with pickled green tomatoes, or store it in the fridge until ready to serve.

Assemble and serve: Mix together tomatoes and feta and serve cold or at room temperature.