Made with crunchy zebra-striped peeled cucumbers, sweet red onions, and a white balsamic vinaigrette, this salad is light, bright, and perfect for warm summer days. It is my go-to cucumber salad, and once you try it, you’ll understand why.
If you don’t have a go-to cucumber salad in your repertoire — or even if you do — you must give this recipe a try. It comes from Joshua McFadden’s Six Seasons , one of my favorites, and with one bite, you’ll understand why: it’s crisp and cool, loaded with herbs, perfectly spicy with a nice acidic bite. It’s truly one of the best summer salad recipes I make.
Overall it’s a simple salad, but the key to success with this salad is following the method, which most critically calls for salting the cucumbers and letting them drain for 30 minutes before dressing.
This, I would argue, is the difference between making a good and a great cucumber salad, regardless of the seasonings you are using. As Alice Waters notes in Chez Panisse Vegetables :
“Cucumbers dressed in advance or used in a sauce may give up too much water and dilute the flavor of the dish. To avoid this, lightly salt the prepared cucumbers, let them sit in a strainer for 10 minutes, wrap them in a clean kitchen towel, and wring out the excess moisture.”
This salting step draws out the moisture of the cucumbers, priming them to receive the dressing, which in this case is a simple mix of white balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
In addition to salting the cucumbers, there’s one more step I encourage you not to skip, as I was inclined to: soaking the sliced scallions in ice water for 20 minutes. This step not only tempers their bite, but also makes them especially crisp.
I never mind the bite of a raw scallion, so the compelling reason for me to take this extra measure is for the crispness, or rather, the enduring crispness: scallions tend to get a little tired once dressed, but the ice water bath helps them retain their crispness, which is perhaps why this salad tastes so incredibly refreshing.
PS: Cucumber and Green Grape Gazpacho
PPS: Tzatziki (Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce)
Simple Cucumber Salad, Step by Step
Here’s the play-by-play: Gather cucumbers, scallions, and a red onion.
Peel the cucumbers zebra-style (for visual appeal), and scoop out the seeds.
Slice the cucumbers up into various shapes and sizes, again for visual appeal, if you wish.
Place them in a colander, sprinkle them with salt, and let stand 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, slice up some scallions.
Soak them in ice water for 20 minutes.
Drain and dry well.
Slice up some red onion.
Pick some mint.
Toss everything together with crushed red pepper flakes, fresh cracked pepper, and white balsamic vinegar (or other). Taste. Add salt to taste; then add olive oil.
Serve immediately.
So fresh. So good:
Description
Adapted from Joshua McFadden’s Six Seasons , a favorite cookbook.
Made with crunchy, zebra-striped peeled cucumbers, sweet red onions and a white balsamic vinaigrette, this salad is light and bright, and perfect for warm summer days. It is my go-to cucumber salad, and once you try it you will understand why!
- 1 lb. cucumbers, any variety or varieties you like
- kosher salt
- 1 bunch (about 6 ) scallions, ends trimmed, sliced thinly on the bias, whites and green parts
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 small handful mint leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, plus more to taste
- 3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar (or other), plus more to taste
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- freshly cracked black pepper
- flaky sea salt, for finishing, optional
- Peel the cucumbers: for visual appeal, peel the skin in alternating stripes. Trim the ends of the cucumbers, halve lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds. Slice the cucumbers into a variety of shapes, or simply slice thinly on the bias to create half moons. Place the cucumbers in a colander and toss with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Let sit for 30 minutes. After the 30 minutes, blot dry in a tea towel.
- Meanwhile, place the scallions in a bowl and cover with ice water. Let stand 20 minutes. Drain and dry well in a tea towel.
- Combine the cucumbers, scallions, red onion, mint, crushed red pepper flakes, vinegar, and a few generous twists of black pepper in a bowl. Toss gently. Taste. Add flaky sea salt to taste. Add pepper, pepper flakes, and vinegar to taste. Once everything tastes, as Joshua McFadden says, “exciting and balanced”, add 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil. Toss again. Serve immediately.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Toss
- Cuisine: American
Description
Adapted from Joshua McFadden’s Six Seasons , a favorite cookbook.
Made with crunchy, zebra-striped peeled cucumbers, sweet red onions and a white balsamic vinaigrette, this salad is light and bright, and perfect for warm summer days. It is my go-to cucumber salad, and once you try it you will understand why!
- 1 lb. cucumbers, any variety or varieties you like
- kosher salt
- 1 bunch (about 6 ) scallions, ends trimmed, sliced thinly on the bias, whites and green parts
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 small handful mint leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, plus more to taste
- 3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar (or other), plus more to taste
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- freshly cracked black pepper
- flaky sea salt, for finishing, optional
- Peel the cucumbers: for visual appeal, peel the skin in alternating stripes. Trim the ends of the cucumbers, halve lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds. Slice the cucumbers into a variety of shapes, or simply slice thinly on the bias to create half moons. Place the cucumbers in a colander and toss with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Let sit for 30 minutes. After the 30 minutes, blot dry in a tea towel.
- Meanwhile, place the scallions in a bowl and cover with ice water. Let stand 20 minutes. Drain and dry well in a tea towel.
- Combine the cucumbers, scallions, red onion, mint, crushed red pepper flakes, vinegar, and a few generous twists of black pepper in a bowl. Toss gently. Taste. Add flaky sea salt to taste. Add pepper, pepper flakes, and vinegar to taste. Once everything tastes, as Joshua McFadden says, “exciting and balanced”, add 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil. Toss again. Serve immediately.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Toss
- Cuisine: American
Find it online : https://alexandracooks.com/2020/07/18/go-to-cucumber-salad/
This is the tomato sauce I make most often. It has a clean, bright flavor thanks to fresh tomatoes and basil, and it comes together in no time. 🍅🍅🍅🍅🍅🍅
Every time I make this fresh tomato-basil sauce, I am astounded by not only its flavor, but also the ease in which it materializes.
It comes from the Tra Vigne cookbook by Michael Chiarello, who learned the recipe from Jacques Pépin, who uses the sauce to poach fish roulades and to dress stuffed chicken legs — oh Jacques!
I have yet to use it for either of those purposes, but it is the tomato sauce I find myself making most often in the summer for favorites like eggplant parmesan and this summer squash gratin or for simply dressing angel hair pasta for my children.
At first glance, this tomato sauce recipe might look quite similar to others you’ve made. But the makeup and method are actually quite different. Let’s explore:
- For one, in addition to fresh tomatoes, this sauce calls for red bell peppers, which not only lend a sweetness to the sauce but also give it a nice body.
- Second, unlike many tomato sauce recipes that call for sweating onions or garlic first, this one calls for neither.
- Third, many tomato sauce recipes call for peeling the tomatoes first. Not this one!
- Fourth: water. Here the roughly chopped tomatoes and peppers start stovetop with a cup of water and simmer for about 25 minutes or until nearly all of the water evaporates and the tomatoes and bell peppers reduce into a sweet, summery concentrate.
- Finally, fat is added at the end. When the sauce is done, you add butter or olive oil along with basil; then purée it until smooth.
Interesting, right? I have shared this recipe in the past , but thought it deserved a refresher. Hope you love it as much as I do.
PS: Quick Sautéed Cherry Tomato Sauce
PPS: Fresh Yellow Tomato Sauce
Quick, Tomato-Basil Sauce How-To
Here’s the play-by-play:
- Gather your tomatoes and bell peppers:
- Chop them coarsely.
- Add to a large pot with 1 cup of water and a teaspoon of salt.
- Simmer for 25 minutes; then add butter or olive oil and basil.
- Transfer to a food processor or blender – let cool first if using a blender.
- Purée until smooth.
- Transfer to storage vessels and keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for 3 months.
Description
From Michael Chiarello’s Tra Vigne. Original recipe credited to Jacques Pépin.
A few notes:
Crushed red pepper flakes would be really nice here. I omit because of the children.
Original recipe calls for a mix of butter and olive oil at the end — use what you prefer.
My dear friend Linda adds heavy cream to it, which I have yet to try, but which I have no doubt is completely delicious.
2 lbs. tomatoes, roughly chopped
4 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and roughly chopped
kosher salt
4 tablespoons butter
1/3 to 1/2 cup, lightly packed, fresh basil leaves
- Place tomatoes and peppers in a large saucepan or pot. Pour in 1 cup water and turn heat to high. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Bring to a simmer, then turn heat down to medium high. After about 5 minutes, the tomatoes and peppers will begin releasing their juices, and the whole mixture should be bubbling. Adjust the heat to ensure the mixture stays at a constant bubble — medium to medium-high should do it. Stir every five minutes or so to make sure the tomatoes and peppers are not sticking to the bottom of the pan. Cook for about 20 more minutes.
- You’ll know when it’s time to turn off the heat when the tomatoes and peppers are tender and nearly all of the liquid has evaporated and the tomatoes and peppers are beginning to stick to pot — when you drag a wooden spoon or spatula across the bottom of the pot, the parted pathway between the sauce should be visible briefly (see video for clarification). Note: times will vary depending on the variety/juiciness of the tomatoes you are using. Do rely on the visual cue more than the time to determe when the sauce is done.
- Add the basil and butter to the pot, give it a stir, then transfer the contents of the pot to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth — be sure to let the mixture cool first if using a blender. Taste. Adjust seasoning with more salt to taste — I often add another teaspoon of kosher salt, but start with a 1/2 teaspoon and add more to taste. Add freshly cracked black pepper to taste, too, if you wish. Store in the fridge for up to a week. Or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian, American
