Recipe of the Month with Helen Austin |
For lots of people in the South, summer just isn't summer until the home-grown tomatoes come in. My husband, Jerry,
has fond memories of summer visits to his grandparents' farm in northeast Louisiana. As soon as he and his brother,
Bob, hugged their grandmother Ratcliff, AKA Granny Rat, they grabbed a salt shaker and headed for the tomato patch.
Each of the boys would pick the biggest, ripest tomato he could find, lick it to make the salt stick, then take a big bite.
Today, Jerry's favorite summer vegetable (or fruit, if you want to be botanically picky) is probably cucumbers. There's an
easy-to-make salad he's particularly fond of, which was a staple at supermarket delis in Jackson, Mississippi, where we
met almost 30 years ago.
I much prefer cucumbers from farmers' markets and fresh produce markets for this dish, mainly because supermarket
cucumbers have usually been waxed. No matter how hard I scrub, I can't seem to get rid of that slick
coating. If using supermarket cucumbers, I'll peel them more thoroughly than I would home-grown.
If you can find home-grown cucumbers, you can get away with just peeling strips from them; this leaves enough green to
give the salad a little color.
The best way to get really thin slices of cucumber and onion is with a kitchen gadget called a mandoline. You'll see
expensive ones in catalogs, but a good kitchenware store may have one for less than $20. (I got mine years ago at Fifth
Season in Little Rock for about $12.)
If you can't find an affordable mandoline, there's a type of knife with perforations in the blade, sometimes called a
skeleton knife, which makes very thin slices. But a good one will probably run you more than an inexpensive mandoline.
There's always something!
A food processor with a slicing attachment is also a possibility, if the chute is large enough to feed the cucumber through
it.
This salad makes a dressy enough presentation for a ladies luncheon. You can serve it in little glass dishes or place the
cucumber mixture on a curly lettuce leaf.
has fond memories of summer visits to his grandparents' farm in northeast Louisiana. As soon as he and his brother,
Bob, hugged their grandmother Ratcliff, AKA Granny Rat, they grabbed a salt shaker and headed for the tomato patch.
Each of the boys would pick the biggest, ripest tomato he could find, lick it to make the salt stick, then take a big bite.
Today, Jerry's favorite summer vegetable (or fruit, if you want to be botanically picky) is probably cucumbers. There's an
easy-to-make salad he's particularly fond of, which was a staple at supermarket delis in Jackson, Mississippi, where we
met almost 30 years ago.
I much prefer cucumbers from farmers' markets and fresh produce markets for this dish, mainly because supermarket
cucumbers have usually been waxed. No matter how hard I scrub, I can't seem to get rid of that slick
coating. If using supermarket cucumbers, I'll peel them more thoroughly than I would home-grown.
If you can find home-grown cucumbers, you can get away with just peeling strips from them; this leaves enough green to
give the salad a little color.
The best way to get really thin slices of cucumber and onion is with a kitchen gadget called a mandoline. You'll see
expensive ones in catalogs, but a good kitchenware store may have one for less than $20. (I got mine years ago at Fifth
Season in Little Rock for about $12.)
If you can't find an affordable mandoline, there's a type of knife with perforations in the blade, sometimes called a
skeleton knife, which makes very thin slices. But a good one will probably run you more than an inexpensive mandoline.
There's always something!
A food processor with a slicing attachment is also a possibility, if the chute is large enough to feed the cucumber through
it.
This salad makes a dressy enough presentation for a ladies luncheon. You can serve it in little glass dishes or place the
cucumber mixture on a curly lettuce leaf.
Slice about 1/3 of the peeled cucumber into a small mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Slice about half the onion
and layer over the cucumber. Repeat with a layer of cucumber, seasoned with salt and pepper, then remaining onion,
finishing with remaining cucumber. Season top layer to taste.
Pour the cooking oil over the cucumber mixture, then the vinegar, then the ice water. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at
least an hour.
Serve with a slotted spoon. Makes about 4-6 servings. If any dressing is left, save it for another use. This salad keeps
well for several days in the fridge.
NOTE: Regular white vinegar will do fine for this salad, but rice wine vinegar has the lowest acidity of any commercially
available vinegars.
and layer over the cucumber. Repeat with a layer of cucumber, seasoned with salt and pepper, then remaining onion,
finishing with remaining cucumber. Season top layer to taste.
Pour the cooking oil over the cucumber mixture, then the vinegar, then the ice water. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at
least an hour.
Serve with a slotted spoon. Makes about 4-6 servings. If any dressing is left, save it for another use. This salad keeps
well for several days in the fridge.
NOTE: Regular white vinegar will do fine for this salad, but rice wine vinegar has the lowest acidity of any commercially
available vinegars.
1 large cucumber (or 2 small-medium
cucumbers), peeled
About 1/4 to 1/3 small onion
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup cooking oil, such as Canola
1/4 cup white vinegar or rice wine vinegar
(see NOTE)
1/4 cup ice water
cucumbers), peeled
About 1/4 to 1/3 small onion
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup cooking oil, such as Canola
1/4 cup white vinegar or rice wine vinegar
(see NOTE)
1/4 cup ice water
Helen Austin was food editor at the Arkansas Democrat for six years and has since been a
contributor to Active Years and the Arkansas Times. Having no formal education in either
journalism or home economics, she credits any expertise in these fields to a lifelong interest in
food and writing.
Helen's food philosophy consists of getting the best, freshest ingredients available, then cooking
them in the simplest manner possible. She and her husband, Jerry, prepare most of their meals at
home.
contributor to Active Years and the Arkansas Times. Having no formal education in either
journalism or home economics, she credits any expertise in these fields to a lifelong interest in
food and writing.
Helen's food philosophy consists of getting the best, freshest ingredients available, then cooking
them in the simplest manner possible. She and her husband, Jerry, prepare most of their meals at
home.
| Cucumber-Onion Salad |
© 2008 Helen Austin. All rights reserved.
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