One of Greece’s regular food shows on TV is called the Nistiko Arkoudi “Hungry Bear”. It started off as a regional show, produced by ERT3, out of Thessaloniki. For two years now, it’s shown weeknights nationally, on it’s parent station NET. I adapted the recipe for this salad on this episode.
Before I go any further, there’s absolutely no Ranch dressing involved here. This potato salad is called “Salata Epaflis”. Epaflis is translated as Hacienda, Estate or Ranch.
This potato salad features two of my parents’ favourite vegetables, potatoes and sweet red peppers. My parents come from the Prefecture of Florina and Greeks often call red peppers “Piperies Florinis”, after the region.
A small town in Florina called Sklithro (Municipality of Aetos) also holds a three day festival in honour of the potato, the other main ingredient of this salad.
This potato salad is robust in flavour…garlic, potatoes and roasted red peppers. This salad is excellent as a side or as a meze, served with a Greek rose.
Ranch Salad (Σαλάτα Έπαυλις)
(for 4)
4 boiled potatoes
1 medium red onion, diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
1/8 cup red wine vinegar
10 roasted red peppers, peeled and chopped
salt and pepper to taste
- Boil your potatoes in salted water. When cool enough to handle, cut into chunks.
- Char the skins of your peppers on your grill or on your stove top. Place in a bag, seal and allow the peppers to sweat for at least 30 minutes. Carefully peel the charred skins and seeds and chop the peppers and add to the bowl with your potatoes.
- Add the remaining ingredients and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. For those that like a little heat, add a crushed chilli pepper into the mix.
- Serve with a cold Greek rose.
Ah yes, simple and flavourful! A nice combination of textures and flavours. The crushed chili peppers are a nice touch as well. We must have been on a similar wavelength tonight because we had some leftover lemon potatoes as a side and we had roasted red peppers with garlic to go along with them!
I have to admit..the Macedonian peppers are probably some of the best I’ve tasted. They look even better when combined in this potato salad Peter. Delicious!
Now that’s what I call potato salad. I want to eat it with octopuses!
Peter, you took the humble potato and turned it into rock star!!
Peter, I was surprised to see 10 peppers in the recipe. That’s a lot. But I like the look of the finish product.
Such beautiful and colorful food you have here! I especially like your post on the “Squalkin Morrocan”!
We had neighbors from Casa Blanca who had a Morrocan restaurant. They were so hospitable..always inviting us to dine like we were their family. I love the spices they use in their food..such a beautiful aroma!
This looks really good, I always have way more potatoes then I know what to do with.
You have taken my favourite vegetable to new heights! This looks absolutely fabulous! I could just dig my fork into the screen right now!
Hi Peter,
There are many little villages in Greece which are literally “in the middle of nowhere”, which hide amazing gourmet treasures, if you know where to look.
Sklithro is one of them. One of the places definitely worth visiting is the taverna “O Thomas”. It features an amazing menu full of local delicacies (game, wild mushrooms, handmade pasta, etc), as well as a local and international wine list to die for!
You can check it out at: http://www.tavernathomas.info/tavernathomas/default.aspx?catID=40.
All the best from sunny Athens
Ted
Sorry I have not been around for a while, Peter, but the whole family have been plagued by a tummy bug. I just love your salmon recipe and this potato salad looks good enough to break the “tummy-bug-fast”.
Sorry I have not been around for a while, Peter, but the whole family have been plagued by a tummy bug. I just love your salmon recipe and this potato salad looks good enough to break the “tummy-bug-fast”.
Sorry I have not been around for a while, Peter, but the whole family have been plagued by a tummy bug. I just love your salmon recipe and this potato salad looks good enough to break the “tummy-bug-fast”.
Sorry I have not been around for a while, Peter, but the whole family have been plagued by a tummy bug. I just love your salmon recipe and this potato salad looks good enough to break the “tummy-bug-fast”.
Sorry I have not been around for a while, Peter, but the whole family have been plagued by a tummy bug. I just love your salmon recipe and this potato salad looks good enough to break the “tummy-bug-fast”.
Sorry I have not been around for a while, Peter, but the whole family have been plagued by a tummy bug. I just love your salmon recipe and this potato salad looks good enough to break the “tummy-bug-fast”.
Sorry I have not been around for a while, Peter, but the whole family have been plagued by a tummy bug. I just love your salmon recipe and this potato salad looks good enough to break the “tummy-bug-fast”.
Sorry I have not been around for a while, Peter, but the whole family have been plagued by a tummy bug. I just love your salmon recipe and this potato salad looks good enough to break the “tummy-bug-fast”.
Sorry I have not been around for a while, Peter, but the whole family have been plagued by a tummy bug. I just love your salmon recipe and this potato salad looks good enough to break the “tummy-bug-fast”.
i love the food festivals greece creates to honour its frsh produce – here in hania, the most popular are the festival of the sardine, the cherry, and tsikoudia (the cretan version of raki) – great fun all round
yummy – so much better than ‘real’ ranch salad!
Sam, we’ve gone potato crazy too!
Pete, you guys in Oz should have lots of peppers around this time of year, no?
Heathers…you really digs dem octopusses, eh?
Marie, I like that…rock star meal!
Helene, for the amount of potatoes, 10 isn’t much.
Laurie, a dish is wonderful when the colours match the bright flavours.
Kat, the ever versatile spud…so many ways to enjoy them.
Marie, long live the potato!
Kiwi, I love these Panagyria too! Up in Nea Moudania, there’s also a sardine festival in July…great fun!
Ted, I’ve been to Thoma’s (1988) and his taverna still packs them in!
Nina, no problem…get well soon.
Kittie, that other ranch invokes vomit.
oh my oh my, this potato salad reminds me of my late dad!! he adores potato salad!! i love the twist of red peppers you added in it!! im drooling over the photos :-) yum!!
I’m a big potato fan too! :)
This dish looks just luscious. I adore roasted red pepper, and what a wonderful way of highlighting them!
I love this dish. Peppers and potatoes are always a good combination. I would add some red wine besides the red wine vinegar, just because potatoes and alcohol are a good combination. Hehe.
The salad looks delicious. I love red pepper, so how can it go wrong? And that landscape! Can I take my potato salad on the deck overlooking that scene? Amazing.
A potato festival !!! How cool. I would definately attend that festivity! And, your salad will grace my table soon !
Love this salad Peter. Another one on my must try list!
That looks like an amazing salad! Yum! So simple yet elegant and delicious! I can taste it!
Mmmm, what could be better than roasted red peppers, potatoes, and garlic? I cannot think of a single thing… YUM! I think this will wind up on our dinner table tonight!
You certainly have a way with salads. A perfect way to enjoy potatoes.
Ahhh, mamacita Dhanngit, I know you miss your dad so much…these are dedicated to your father.
Maryann, you big potato head!
Ann, so simple yet so tasty.
Ben, a chilled rose wine with this would be just grand.
Erin, that landscape is from the Prefecture of Florina…wonderful wine country.
Judy, your hubby’s getting alot of new (old for me) ideas, eh?
Jenn, post honeymoon potato salad or are you and Roberto still “busy”? lol
Astra, this would be a filling dinner.
Lisa, us Greeks try and have a balanced diet.
THank goodness no ranch dressing involved!This looks tasty. Forget the German Potato salad, give me Ranch!
What a wonderful looking salad.
This is one of those dangerous type dishes – lots of roasted red peppers so it’s sweet with a bit of a bite and before you know it you’ve scarfed down 4 potatoes.
That sounds really good with all of the roasted red peppers!
this is just the kind of thing i feel like: sweetness from the peppers, body and weight from the potatoes, tang from the vinegar, flavour from the garlic and onions and a velvety kiss from the olive oil.
and the idea to serve it with a rose….oh how i envy your journey into spring!
This looks wonderful and so simple. I appreciate the note, right up front, that no ranch dressing is involved. Phew. Or I might have stopped reading.
Looks great! I have to say I second Heather’s suggestion. I’m not sure why, but some grilled octopus just sounds perfect with this. Maybe I want to be on a beach somewhere?
A refreshing potatoe salad! Perfect for me! Simple and basic ingredients make the best dishes! And no cheese involved ;-)
Glam, I came “this close” to calling in Hacienda salad.
Sylvie, it was.
Giz, not to mention the bread to mop up the oil!
Kevin, roasted red peppers are one of the simplest food pleasures.
Anna, ahhh I luv that…velety kiss from the olive oil!
Panda and everyone else…throw out your bottled Ranch, NOW!
Lulu, that’s interesting…it would make it a whole new Surf n Turf kinda meal.
Nuria, no Manchego here (sob)!
Love the disclaimer, “absolutely no ranch dressing involved.” If I didn’t know I would have thought you were a lawyer. haha