Marinated Feta And Olive Skewer Recipe

Prepare the onion: Peel the red onion and slice it thinly into rings or half-moons. Place the slices in a heatproof jar or bowl that will hold at least 2 cups.

Make the pickling liquid: In a small saucepan combine 1/2 cup white wine vinegar, 1/2 cup water, 1 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp ground sumac and the optional peppercorns. Warm over medium heat just until sugar and salt dissolve, about 1–2 minutes; do not boil.

Pour over onion: Pour the warm pickling liquid over the sliced onion, pressing the onion down so it’s submerged. Let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes. For best flavor let sit 2–4 hours or overnight. Keep refrigerated until assembling.

Combine marinade: In a bowl whisk together 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1/2 tsp dried thyme, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper and 1/2 tsp honey (if using) until emulsified.

Cube the feta: Drain the feta block and pat dry with paper towels. Cut into 24 even cubes (about 3/4–1 inch cubes).

Marinate the feta: Place feta cubes in a shallow, nonreactive container or jar. Pour the marinade over the feta ensuring cubes are mostly submerged or well-coated. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, preferably 6–12 hours for deeper flavor. You can turn the container once during marination to coat evenly.

Prepare components: Drain marinated feta from the oil (reserve the oil for drizzling). Drain the pickled onions well; if slices are large, halve or quarter them so they fit neatly on skewers. Rinse and pat dry olives if packed in brine. If using cornichons or cherry tomatoes, have them ready.

Skewer pattern

Thread components onto skewers in this suggested order for balance and appearance: fresh parsley leaf (folded), feta cube, olive, fold of pickled onion, cornichon or cherry tomato (optional), feta cube. Repeat spacing so each skewer holds 3–4 feta cubes and complementary items. Make 12 skewers total.

Adjust and chill: Arrange finished skewers on a platter. If not serving immediately, cover and refrigerate up to 2 hours. Return reserved marinade oil to room temperature and use for finishing; discard if marinated with raw garlic and held long or if safety is a concern (or heat gently before use).

Just before serving: Drizzle each skewer lightly with 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (from reserved marinade or fresh), sprinkle with lemon zest, a pinch of cracked black pepper and the optional toasted sesame seeds or za'atar.

Plating and accompaniments: Serve skewers on a platter with any remaining pickled onions on the side. Offer crusty bread or pita and extra lemon wedges if desired.

Storage: Leftover marinated feta (without skewers) keeps refrigerated 3–4 days. Discard any reserved marinade once it has contacted other ingredients for more than 24 hours; alternatively, reserve a portion of fresh oil for finishing.