Purple Beauties and Tomato and Olive Salad

Do you want to know how to properly boil an egg, cook pasta, rice, couscous and other cooking techniques? Do you like videos? If so, you’re in luck because my article of the day is from Real Simple magazine and doles out such how-to information. Just reading something or seeing pictures isn’t enough. Occasionally, videos are required (depending on your skill level). Thanks, Real Simple.

Guess who has a sweet husband? Well, maybe she/he does but I was talking about me. Greg brought me one of my favorite flowers-free. Kidding (only partially), lilacs.

They remind me of my grandma’s driveway. She has a lilac tree around her home that we spent trimming bouquets from as a child. My mom and other grandma also have lilac bushes. Our family loves the purple beauties.

As a youngster, I was blissfully surrounded. I love inhaling their unmistakable fragrance that can flow in from an open window or catch the scent on the breeze while passing by in the car, which is the only way I get to smell them these days.

That is until the other day when Greg happened to obtain a bunch from a friend’s mom. Thank you!

I’ve mentioned before my love for olives, all olives. When I came across an olive salad with tomatoes (to add to my collection of similar olive salads), I jumped to make it over the weekend. I added some feta, more olives, less liquid ingredients and put it together in record time. My record time for an olive salad, I predict, would be exactly 3 minutes and 27 seconds…I have no idea. I’m pulling numbers from my arse. The point is that it’s quick. Chilling is not required but can be done.

I think it would go well with shrimp or pasta tossed in to make an entire meal. If you’re not a fan of feta, mozzarella is great (like a caprese salad). Add a side of rustic, toasted bread, a dry white wine and you’re good to go. Go sit by a lilac tree for me.

Tomato and Olive Salad
Serves 2 to 4

Ingredients:
15 small tomatoes (heirlooms are pretty for this)
3 tbsp pitted, sliced green olives
3 tbsp pitted, sliced black olives
3 tbsp pitted, sliced kalamata olives-optional
1 stalk spring onion (scallion), finely chopped
1 to 2 oz. feta (or mozzarella)
1 tbsp olive oil
3 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp sugar
¼ tsp fresh or dried oregano
salt/pepper

In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, all olives and the onion. In a small bowl, mix the oil, vinegar, sugar, oregano and salt/pepper (to taste). Pour over the salad, add the feta and stir to coat. Chill for an hour in the fridge if you wish but it’s not required. To make this a meal, you could add shrimp or pasta, rustic, toasted bread and pair with white wine.