I remember versions of this from summer picnics when I was a little mouse. It’s one of the first things I love to make when the winter weather starts to break.
This salad is a cool and classic combination of sour cream and dill.
To prepare it, you soak the cuke slices in a little seasoned rice vinegar and kosher salt to draw out some of their water. This helps keep your cucumbers crisp and your salad from getting soggy.
What’s the difference between an English cucumber and a regular cuke?
Good question. English cucumbers, also called hothouse cucumbers, are longer than regular cucumbers and have far fewer seeds. In American markets, you generally find them sold individually and encased in plastic wrap.
How about that seasoned rice vinegar?
Oh, I love this stuff. Like the name implies, this rice vinegar
If you don’t have any rice vinegar, you can also substitute red wine vinegar, or even white vinegar.
Classic Cucumber Salad
1 English cucumber (or 2 regular cukes, seeded)
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. seasoned rice wine vinegar
3/4 cup sour cream
1 Tbls. olive oil
juice of 1/2 a lemon
2 Tbls. fresh dill, chopped
more kosher salt, to taste, for the dressing
freshly cracked black pepper
Serves 3-4 as a side
Classic Cucumber Salad: Prep the cucumber
Slice your cuke into thin rounds. I use a sharp knife, but you can totally also use a mandolin
Toss the cuke slices in a medium-sized bowl.
Drizzle with rice vinegar.
Sprinkle with 1 tsp. kosher salt.
Give them a toss to coat and combine.
Stick the bowl in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
Classic Cucumber Salad: Drain the cukes
After about a half an hour, grab the bowl out of the fridge. Tip it to the side. You should see that the cukes have let off a considerable amount of water. Drain all the extra water off and discard.
Give one a taste. It should taste like a really good, fresh and quick pickle.
Classic Cucumber Salad: Make the dressing
Put the sour cream and olive oil in another bowl.
Squeeze half a lemon over the bowl (pick out any seeds).
Add in your chopped dill.
Toss in a little kosher salt and crack on some fresh black pepper. Whisk to combine.
Classic Cucumber Salad: Finish the salad, serve, and enjoy!
Pour the dressing over the drained cukes.
Toss to combine.
Garnish with a little fresh dill.
Enjoy!
