(Definitely NOT for those on a sodium-restricted diet!)
2 fresh cucumbers (seeded if desired), thinly sliced (peeled or unpeeled).
2-3 green onions, chopped
OR
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced in half- or quarter-rings
Salt
Sour cream
Combine sliced cucumbers and chopped or sliced onions. Salt heavily and stir together. Place in covered bowl in refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Stir thoroughly. Repeat several times, or leave in refrigerator overnight.
Before serving, drain liquid from cucumbers. Stir in enough sour cream to coat the cucumbers well. Taste for salt and (unbelievable, it's true) add if necessary.
Note: I think this might be a German dish. My great-grandmother taught my mother to make it. I've also seen similar recipes that add sliced radishes or chopped tomatoes. If cucumbers and radishes "kick back" at you separately, don't mix them together. I recommend serving this on sliced tomatoes or with tomato wedges or cherry tomatoes, rather than mixing the tomatoes into the cucumbers. This keeps fairly well in terms of taste, but does not present the best appearance, leftover.
I prefer to use pickling cucumber for this, if I can get them. They usually have more of a "garden-fresh" flavor, are not waxed or oiled to make them shiny, and are far less likely to be bitter. If you choose small ones, rather than large, fat ones, you will probably find that you don't need to remove the seeds, which are more delicate than those in the "normal" supermarket cuke.
A variation of this is to omit the sour cream, making it just Cucumbers and Onions. (I've never tried plain yogurt, but that might work, too.) Again, this can be kept for a day or 2 in the fridge, but it tends to look pretty much "rode hard an' put away wet."
You can dress up either of these versions by scoring the cucumbers lengthwise with the tines of a fork before you slice them. This can be done whether the cucumber is peeled or is left unpeeled. It gives the edges a nice, lacey look.
cucumber icon)
courtesy of:
