Cucumber & Tomato Salad

These deliciously cool and refreshing salads are perfect for nearly any occasion. Dress them up for a gourmet dinner, or serve them with a simple lunch.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea or kosher salt
  • 3-4 cloves garlic, mashed
  • 10 fresh basil leaves
  • 5 fresh oregano leaves
  • 3 small fresh cucumbers (pickling or thin slicing)
  • 2 large  tomatoes, vine ripened
  • 1/4 cup sliced baked bacon
Method:
  1. Mince garlic or press through a garlic press. Let garlic stand in balsamic and wine vinegars for 10 minutes (this takes the “edge” off).
  2. Wash basil and oregano leaves. Roll up leaves and slice into little strips (chiffonade). Chop and add to your best olive oil and allow to stand in oil while garlic marinates.
  3. Meanwhile, prepare salad ingredients. Wash cucumbers and tomatoes. Peel cucumbers, leaving a scant amount of peel (helps with digestion). Slice cucumbers.
  4. With a sharp knife, remove stem and blossom end from tomatoes (a very small amount). Slice tomatoes into wedges, being careful not to crush and lose juice.
  5. Place tomatoes and cucumbers in salad bowl and sprinkle with sea salt or kosher salt.
  6. Combine olive oil with vinegar’s, whisking together well. Use to dress tomatoes and cucumbers.
  7. Serve and garnish with the sliced baked bacon.

Tips:

  1. Discard any garlic which has green sprouts in the center, as the flavor is too sharp and bitter for this salad – use for another purpose.
  2. Variations: Add 1 thinly sliced red onion, pitted oil cured black olives and fresh mozzarella, sliced (or use the small bocconcini).

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