Mom's Cucumber Salad

This is the cucumber salad my mom would whip up on hot summer days.

This is the fastest and easiest "pickle" you will ever make. Over the years I have refined this a little - I use olive oil instead of "salad oil" and add a touch of chili pepper to the mix. But basically this is it. The Cucumber Salad my mom made. The one I grew up with. Simply cucumbers tossed with vinegar, oil, salt and a bit of sugar.

Mom made this regularly when cucumbers took over the garden but also year round. Just to have a salad at the dinner table.  I think I have mellowed the amount of sugar in this recipe, slightly, otherwise this is the same salad my mom has made since I was shorter than the countertops. Mom always adds sliced onion to the cucumbers. It is really good. But you can leave it out if the kids don't like onions (actually in my case just one despises onions the other will eat them in amazing quantities).

I always peel my cukes I like the blank whiteness of the salad this way. If you are lucky enough to get your hands on the fat and shorter field cucumber variety (instead of the foot long "English style") - praise your grocer - and then take an extra minute to scrape out the seeds. This salad is best made ahead of time... an hour or so, at least and I've made it the day before and used it for lunch. Letting it soak softens the cucumbers and onions. They will release their juices which add flavour to the dressing.  My mom always puts a plate on top, so I opt for the plate.

Probably the hardest part of this salad - finding the right bowl and  plate combo.  You need that perfectly sized plate that will fit on the inside rim and keep the vegetables submerged in the oil and vinegar.  The weight is probably not necessary. I'm just being thorough .

...my very high tech cucumber salad press ????

This is a great salad to serve with BBQ. My kids love it in their lunches. I'll make it while I'm cleaning the kitchen after dinner then pack it in containers for their lunch the next day.

Here is how you make my Mom's Cucumber Salad:

Average rating: 5 stars

Cucumber Salad

Prep Time10 mins

Total Time10 mins

Servings: 4 -6

Ingredients

• 2 large english styled cucumber peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 medium white onion thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1-½ teaspoons white sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• pinch or two cayenne pepper to taste

Instructions

• In a large bowl add vinegar, oil, sugar, salt, black and cayenne pepper and whisk well. Add cucumber and onion and toss to cover with dressing. Cover salad bowl with a small plate that fits within the rim of the salad bowl. Best served after chilling about 30 minutes. Can be made several hours ahead.

Trish Cowper

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