How Greek immigrants shaped the most famous salad from Detroit

You probably have had a Greek salad before, but if you live in the Detroit area, you know that a Greek salad in Detroit has something special.

I definitely did it. When I grew up in the city’s suburbs, I can confirm that this salad was a staple in my household. My family would snap them regularly for a quick dinner. When I got older, my friends and I meet for a “cheap Greek salad” that cost about $ 6 in my teenage years. If I now return to Michigan, it is a must with every visit.

Here is the difference: a Classic Greek salad Has no salad that instead built from cucumbers, red onions, green peppers, Kalamata and a block feta with a simple dressing of olive oil, oregano and sometimes a dash of red wine vinegar.

In Detroit, a Greek salad actually has salad: especially iceberg. And while the version of my hometown of tomatoes, cucumbers, black olives, often red onions and feta cheese (crumbled, not in a decent block), the Greek salad from Detroit also contains Pepperoncini, occasionally some Gankenzo beans and the characteristic addition: Theft, picked beds. When it comes to dressing, you will find oil and vinegar base and creamy versions, often depending on which dinner you eat.

I know you can find Americanized Greek salads In pizza stores and Panera bread cafés across the country, but I would argue that this is a shadow of what we represent in Detroit, especially when it comes to beets.

This is a Detroit thing.

How Detroit created his own Greek salad

The history of the Greek salad of Detroit begins with waves of immigrants who begin around the turn of the 20th century and swell in 1912 Henry Fords offer Workers in his Detroit factory pay $ 5 a day. Among these immigrants were entrepreneurs who would like to open restaurants with dishes and recipes from home.

Perhaps inspired by the pleasant sights of New York City before moving to the middle west, these early Greek cooks They called them “Coney Island” dogs. The name stuck and finally grew to the names of the Greek guests. In fact, there are two historical Coney Islands: American Coney Islandopened by Gust Keros in 1917 and Lafayette Coney Islandopened by his brother William in 1924.

The development of the salad followed over time. “All other salads in America had iceberg salad or Romaine”, Yanni Dionisopoulos, co -owners of The golden fleece in Detroits district of Greecttown, Telled taste. “Therefore, the add-on to familiarize the Americans. Dionisopoulos’ theory about the Peperoncini and the beets? “The people who are associated have lodged Greek cuisine,” he said. Traditional Greek salads were often still on the menus, but were referred to as the “village” salads. The best of all worlds.

What about these 2 dressings?

The Greek salads in Detroit not only offer two standard associations, not to mention loyalists for everyone. Some like Leo’s Coney IslandOperated by the brothers Leo and Peter Stassinopoulos and one of the largest Coney Island chains with locations in the entire area of Metro Detroit use a dressing with oil and vinegar with a variety of spices and other ingredients. The dressing was so popular that the brothers started filling and Selling bottles of it in 2018.

Detroits of other Greek salad dressing, which are usually only called pink dressing, do justice to its name with a light pink and creamy texture, the color of beet juice and sometimes a bit red wine vinegar and their texture by emulsification (or linking the addition of olive oil -based mayonnaise. But do not try to get the recipe out of this diner owner – Most remain close family secrets, just like what is on the chilli on a Coney dog.

But that’s the fun of Detroits Coney Islands and their Greek salads. Everything is completed in history, family and tradition. Panera? No thanks. I will take my iceberg salad with a touch of pickled beets. In Detroit.

How to make your own Greek salad out of Detroit

The locals continue to tinker with this classic recipe, from removing the beets or cucumbers, the replacement of raw onions grilled or burned (my personal favorite!) Or a protein such as adding a protein like grilled chicken or gyro meat. Serve the Detroit path with Pita bread that you can roast with oil and grill, and throw in a frying pan.

Serves: 1-2

Ingredients

• 3 to 4 cups of chopped iceberg salad
• 1/2 cup of crumbling feta cheese
• 1 small beefsteak tomato, cut into wedges
• 3 to 4 cucumber slices
• 4 beet slices in canned food (save part of the canned river for the dressing)
• 4 pepperoncini for garnish
• 4 Kalamata olives
• 1/4 cup of K.
• 1/4 cup of thin cut red onion (optional)

Directions

1. Assemble on a large plate or a large bowl of salad and top with feta, tomatoes, cucumbers, beets, pepperoncini, olives, beans and onions.
2. Serve with pink dressing on the side.

How to make Rosa dressing

This creamy version is based on olive oil mayonnaise for your texture. If you are looking for a non -destroying dressing, indicate this Absolutely fabulous Greek dressing An attempt.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup of olive oil mayo (less if you want it less creamy)
• 1/2 cup of beet juice (from a can of cut beets)
• 1/2 cup of feta
• 3/4 cup of milk
• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon of sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon of oregano
• 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh dill chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Combine Mayo, beet juice, feta, milk, olive oil, vinegar, sugar, garlic powder, oregano, dill, salt and pepper in a blender and mix them until they are thoroughly combined.
2. Store in the refrigerator until it is ready to serve. The dressing will take up to a week.