Cucumber Salad with Dill

This salad is fabulous in summer with fresh dill and fresh crisp pickling cucumbers.

In winter, an English cucumber or imported ones will do, but the flavour does not compare. If using an English cucumber, wash, peel, remove seeds, and slice very thin. Cucumbers skins can be bitter and the bitterness easily spreads to the flesh, so keep rinsing your knife and the cucumber as you peel, trim, or cut them.

The best way to eat cukes from the garden in summer time, is freshly picked when they are no more than 6 inches long. Rinse the cucumbers, then slice lengthwise and arrange on a plate. Do not peel. Salt each slice heavily and let stand for 15 minutes.

Proportions this recipe can be varied substantially and if you don't have all the ingredients on hand, you can leave out the optional ones without affecting the salad.

Equipment tip: Reamers

Regarding lemons and other citrus fruit, the quickest easiest method of getting juice is to use one of those wooden reamers. The physics of this tool, make squeezing very easy. If you are picky about the seeds, you can squeeze into a glass measuring cup and then pour the juice through a small tea strainer or seive.

Cucumber Salad with Dill

Ingredients:
10 5-inch pickling cucumbers
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup white vinegar
2 Tbsp. white sugar
2 tsp. sea salt
freshly ground pepper
1 bunch of fresh dill, chopped
2-4 Tbsp. fresh parsley, finely chopped
juice of 1 large lemon (optional)
1/2 small white onion, finely sliced or 4 green onions, finely chopped (optional)
1 garlic clove, grated (optional)
1 cup sour cream (optional)

Instructions:
Wash and trim the ends off the cucumbers.
Slice in 1/8 inch slices. Do not peel if using pickling cucumbers.
Add the other ingredients and toss.
Taste and adjust seasoning.

Keeps well in the frig and tastes better the longer it sits.