Recipe for Greek salad in jars

Sally Pasley Vargas for The Boston Globe

Serves 4

When your canning jars aren’t being used for storage, drinks, or sipping soup, line them up and layer them with cherry tomatoes, Persian cucumbers, a bright bell pepper, olives, and feta for individual Greek salads. Screw on the lids and head out for a fall picnic.

3	tablespoons red wine vinegar
	Salt and pepper, to taste
5	tablespoons olive oil
½	pint cherry tomatoes, halved
2	teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
4	Persian cucumbers, thickly sliced
¾	cup pitted Kalamata olives
1	yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into ½-inch pieces
½	cup (4 ounces) crumbled feta
4	pita rounds, halved

1. Have on hand 4 pint-size canning jars with lids.

2. In a bowl, whisk the vinegar, salt, and pepper. Gradually whisk in the oil. Taste for seasoning; add more salt and pepper, if you like.

3. In each of the jars, pour ¼ of the dressing. Then begin layering: Add tomatoes to each jar, then a pinch of oregano, cucumbers, olives, peppers, another pinch of oregano, feta, salt, and pepper.

4. Secure the lids and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. To serve, turn closed jars upside down to distribute the dressing. Eat the salad out of the jar with bread on the side, or stuff it into the bread for sandwiches.

Sally Pasley Vargas