Greek Village Salad with Herb-Marinated Olives

First, prepare the herb-marinated olives. Mince 2 cloves of garlic and finely chop 2 tablespoons of fresh oregano and 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme.

In a small bowl, combine the minced garlic, chopped herbs, 1 teaspoon of lemon zest, 1 cup of kalamata olives, and 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Toss well to coat the olives.

Cover the olive mixture and let marinate at room temperature for at least 10 minutes while preparing the rest of the salad (or refrigerate for up to 24 hours for more intense flavor).

For the salad, cut 1 large English cucumber into 1/2-inch chunks (no need to peel if using English cucumber).

Cut 4 medium tomatoes into wedges, then halve each wedge crosswise.

Thinly slice 1/2 medium red onion into half-moons.

Core and seed 1 medium green bell pepper, then cut into 1-inch pieces.

Cut 6 ounces of feta cheese into 1/2-inch cubes (don't crumble it for authentic Greek style).

In a large bowl, combine the cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, and green bell pepper.

In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon of dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper to make the dressing.

Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss gently to combine.

Add the feta cheese cubes and 1 tablespoon of capers to the salad and toss very gently, just once or twice, to maintain the integrity of the cheese.

Arrange the salad on a large platter or in a shallow bowl.

Top with the herb-marinated olives, distributing them evenly across the salad.

Serve immediately at room temperature for the best flavor.