My Cucumber Salad

There are more than a few posts on here that I know took me a bit away from my original blogging goal.  The initial brilliant idea was this: I had this wonderful green photo album that I was going to turn into my very own cookbook and the blog was just a way to share the good and not so good recipes I was trying along the way.  And it would serve as a nice little kick in the butt to make sure I was trying new recipes, and not just sticking to the same few.

But there have been a few little bird walks here and there.  Some cookbook recipes thrown in, justifiable because they were new recipes I was trying.  And some recipes that were already in my big green cookbook.  Which also totally count, of course.  But, this is kind of taking my original blogging intentions and throwing them out the window.   Because, you see, this is my  very own recipe.

It's not all too impressive, and not all that complicated, but it is of my very own invention.  And I've been making it all summer long since arrive here in the Haute.  At home, mom would occasionally make cucumber salad if she ever had an extra cucumber laying around.  It was delicious, fresh and bright and tangy with some bite from the vinegar.  I'm pretty sure my mom didn't use a recipe and I never really have either.  After slicing the cucumber and onions, I start throwing in seasonings and streaming in the vinegars and oil.  So this is sort of a rough estimate of the many cucumber salads I have made since this summer started.  And the exact recipe I made last night.

By the way, cucumber salad is wonderful.  It's sharp and tangy and vinegar-y.  It's the kind of salad made for the kind of people who lick vinaigrette of their plates.  It is perfect if you have bags full of free garden fresh cucumbers filling up your vegetable crisper.  Ben was a big fan of snacking on it with his cold beer and I will eat it sitting on the floor in front of my TV, like I am now.  And you can mess with the vinegars, the oil, the seasonings.  Maybe go Asian, with some rice vinegar and sesame oil or enjoy with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar to top.  Remember, this is a very rough estimate.  And so here it is, for the very first time ever here on My Big Green Cookbook, a Liz original recipe:

My Cucumber Salad

1 large cucumber, thinly sliced
1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced
4-5 whole cloves
8-10 peppercorns
1/4 tsp. salt
Good Dash of crushed red pepper
1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
1/4 c. white vinegar
Good Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

Mix all ingredients in medium bowl.  Stir well to coat cucumber and onion slices with vinegar and oil.

Cover and refrigerate, stirring occasionally, for a few hours.  Will keep refrigerated for a few days.