Today, we celebrate cucumbers, which will soon be in the peak of their season and dirt cheap! When prepared well, cucumbers are not only delicious but also packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. Besides these two health benefits, they also promote hydration, may lower blood sugar, are low in calories and are easy to add to your diet.
Home gardeners would do well to plan for a big harvest because cucumbers, like zucchini, have a way of multiplying beyond expectations — and then producing even more. Farmers markets are always evident in this truth, where I recently saw a full box for just $5.
One thing to know about cucumbers: When grown in extremely hot temperatures, the cucumber skin can get bitter. You can deal with this by either removing the skin prior to slicing or soaking the cukes in salt water to remove the bitterness.
Personally, I love cucumbers so much that I would be happy eating them in a salad, as pickles, in a sandwich or just straight-up with a sprinkle of salt — and I mean every day of my life.
Today, I have one recipe for you that may take you back to your childhood. It does for me because this is the way my grandmother made cucumber salad.
My Grandmother’s Cucumber Salad
- 4 cups sliced cucumbers
- 1 to 2 tablespoons sea salt
- 1 sweet white onion
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon white granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Place the sliced cucumbers in a colander in the sink, and salt generously. Mix gently with your hands so that all of the slices are covered with salt. Let stand for 30 minutes. Rinse very well, and pat the cucumber slices dry in a towel.
In the meantime, in a large bowl, mix the remaining ingredients — onion, sour cream, sugar and apple cider vinegar. Add the prepared cucumbers, stirring to cover completely. Cover and chill for at least an hour before serving.
If you are worried that your cucumbers may be a little bitter, but you do not want to peel all of that nutritious skin away, place the sliced cucumbers in a colander in the sink, and sprinkle with salt as directed in the recipe.
The salt will not only remove any bitterness from the skin but also leech water from the cucumbers to keep your salad from getting all watery.
I drained nearly 1/2 cup of liquid from the five cucumbers I used to make my last batch!
You can also access a printable copy of My Grandmother’s Cucumber Salad at this same website.
Mary Hunt writes this column for Creators Syndicate. She is the founder of www.EverydayCheapskate.com, a lifestyle blog, and the author of “Debt-Proof Living. Submit comments or tips or address questions on her website. She will answer questions of general interest via this column, but letters cannot be answered individually.
July 29, 2020 at 04:46AM
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Cucumbers galore? Try this tasty cucumber salad - Grand Island Independent
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