# Cucumber salad?



## giggler (Aug 21, 2016)

at a High End BBQ rest down the street, they make a standard cuke, halved cherry tomato and red onion sliced salad with very little dressing, just oil and venegre, salt and dill I think.

It is very nice change from the standard Cole slaw.

I try to make it just that simple.. but theirs has a different texture of the veggies. Maybe it's just left over night, but the cukes and all are very soft/ rubbery (sp.)

I read a few recpies where they salt the cukes, and drain in a collander first.

Is that the trick? Mine was darn good last night with just a bit of red wine vinegre plus a bit of oil and dry dill...

but mine was very crunchy, not soft and leathery like the BBQ joint.
Eric, Austin Tx.


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## GotGarlic (Aug 21, 2016)

Yup, that's the trick  The salt pulls out moisture, which softens the texture and intensifies the flavor. Some recipes using tomatoes call for the same technique.


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## Dawgluver (Aug 21, 2016)

I slice my cukes super thin on a mandolin, maybe along with a bit of onion, then salt and let sit for a few hours, or overnight.  Drain, and rinse, then rinse some more, then rinse again.  I make refrigerator and freezer pickles this way.  I find it really makes the cukes crunchy, so it might not be the "rubbery" texture you're looking for.


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## dragnlaw (Aug 21, 2016)

I also slice paper thin on a mandolin. On a steep angle. If not even as a ribbon.

Served right away they are crunchy.  Wait an hour they are noticibly softer.  Over night they get very soft.

I will thinly slice red onion in with them...  or maybe radishes. Both on the mandolin.

(Although I've been told by friends and my kids to stop as my fingers are getting too short and will not grow back - sniff, 'cause they tell me I'm not a 'real' dragon  )

My mother would just soak regular slices in plain white vinegar - not sure if she added a tiny touch of sugar or not.


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## Kayelle (Aug 22, 2016)

We also find a mandolin or v-slicer mandatory for English cucumber/white onion salad. Everything is lined up in a colander and heavily salted with Kosher salt to drain for at least a couple of hours. Then it's all tossed, lightly rinsed and turned out onto a kitchen towel to pat really dry, and dressed with rice wine vinegar, white pepper and sugar or sugar substitute. On occasion I whisk in a little mayo into the dressing.
In the summer, this is always on hand.


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## Domestic Goddess (Mar 14, 2017)

Yes, adding salt (I use table salt) to thinly sliced cucumbers, helps to draw out the liquid.  I do this in layers, and salting the cucumbers between each layer, and I let them set inside a colander in my clean kitchen sink, and covering the colander with a plate for about 2 to 2-1/2 hours.  I drain them well before adding ingredients to make a salad. By the way... I don't have a mandolin, I just slice them extremely thin with a good sharp knife.


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## Domestic Goddess (Mar 14, 2017)

One more thing I wanted to mention, after I salt the cucumbers and let them set for the 2 to 2-1/2 hours, I never rinse the cucumbers afterwards, there's no need to. And my cucumber salads never taste salty.


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