It's been so hot here lately...it makes me think of "the Dog Days of Summer"!
One thing that makes this hot weather easier on us all is having some cool refreshing things to eat. As tomatoes and cucumbers are plentiful for us right now, I've come up with two salads that we make quite often to add to our meals. Thought I'd share them with you....
Summer Tomato Salad
You'll need:About a pint and a half of ripe cherry tomatoes.
1/4 of a medium size red onion
about 4 oz. of feta cheese
1/4 c. kalamata olives
a handful of fresh basil
a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
freshly ground pepper to taste
Wash the tomatoes and dry them well. (just trust me and make sure they are dry, otherwise you'll be sad.) Quarter the larger ones and cut the smallish ones in half. Put them in a medium sized bowl and add sliced olives, crumbled feta, chopped basil and enough oil to just drizzle over the top. Pepper to taste. Mix gently and let the flavors mingle a bit before serving.
We've enjoyed this salad as a side dish to sweet corn, as a topping on a sandwich, and over a bed of lettuce. I think it'd also be good on some crusty bread put under the broiler for a minute. :)
Mom's Cucumber Salad
You'll need:4 medium sized cucumbers
2 T. salt
1/4 of a medium sized onion
1/8 c. soy sauce, or liquid Amino Acids
1/8 c. rapadura or honey
1/8 c. Apple Cider Vinegar
a drizzle of Sesame Oil
ground pepper to taste
Wash, peel, and thinly slice the cucumbers and onion. Put them in a colander over a bowl. Generously salt them using your hands to mix it really well. Don't worry about the amount of salt, it will be rinsed off...this step is for keeping the cucumbers crisp. Let that sit for about 20 minutes. Rinse well and let as much of the water drain off as you can. (you can even gently squeeze the moisture out) Place into a medium sized bowl. In a separate bowl mix the rest of the ingredients together with a whisk. Pour them over the cucumbers and let the flavors mingle. Enjoy!
We love the cucumber salad and make a double batch to keep in the fridge for the week. The flavor gets better as it sits. It's great on sandwiches too!
I hope I've inspired you to try some Summer Salads during this busy time of the year, when everything fresh is plentiful.
Im experimenting with a new comment/reply system. I tried replying to your comment on my blog, let me know if it worked. I'm still fiddling with it trying to figure it out ;)
ReplyDelete(by the way, the recipes look delicious!!!!)
The reply you left me at your blog DID work. :)
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU!!!!!!!!!! i've been so craving those cucumbers, and am in a food rut, which i blame on all the fall veggies that are available at market right now - the beets, the squash, the sweet potatoes - and the continuing hot weather - my stomach and my head just can't get it together...this will help!
ReplyDeletejust to let you know that i am still looking this up on your blog, five years later! a neighbor just gave me about 20 cucumbers, so here i go...(this is debbie!)
ReplyDelete