I didn’t have any grand notions when putting this salad together, other than using up the big ol’ cucumber that I had in the fridge drawer and the two ripe tomatoes leftover from my trip to the market a few days ago (from Joel Thiebault’s “Summer Collection/2010″ – and at a price of 9 euros a kilo, I expected them to come in monogrammed felt drawstring sacks). I thought that it would be okay, but really wasn’t too focused on this other than being, you know, a side. It was almost an afterthought, I’m embarrassed to admit.
Which just goes to show you. Good, simple produce speaks for itself, and is never dull, never boring, and always fantastic. In this case, the combo of cukes and tomatoes, with basil and fresh chevre from the tres cute cheese man at the market was sublime. I just added a splash of sherry vinegar and a drizzle of olive oil, and that was it.
X ate plateful after plateful and went on about how these tomatoes reminded him of his summer vacations in Nice and in Greece. I told him that my summers were more of the Port Aransas, Texas variety, which meant beach picnic lunches of Fritos and bean dip, and sandwiches made with New Braunfels sausage and German-style mustard.
Sometimes (often) I complain about the high price of some things (everything) here, but when it comes to food, I just open my wallet until it’s empty. Sure, it’s crazy to think that tomatoes could cost so much, but if they can evoke such great memories, then, in my book, they’re priceless.
Note: For two other great ways to use cucumbers this summer — Cucumber-Avocado Gazpacho and Cucumber-Fennel Slaw — please check out my recent column for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Cucumber-Tomato Salad
Serves 2-4
INGREDIENTS
1 large cucumber, peeled and seeded
2 large tomatoes
few leaves basil
splash sherry vinegar
splash olive oil
sea salt
pepper
125 grams/4.5 oz fresh chevre
Cut the cucumber and tomatoes in nice bite-size pieces of about 1-inch. Put in a bowl, add salt and pepper, and let this sit for about a half hour or so. Before serving, add a bit of sherry vinegar and olive oil, toss and taste. If the flavors are balanced, then go ahead and top with the fresh chevre and basil, and serve.
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The salad looks beautiful and I’m sure that had it been put in front of me, I’d have followed X’s lead and eaten plate after plate of it.
Salad looks fabulous, but I could be persuaded to partake Port Aransas, Texas style — love me some Fritos and bean dip, sausage and mustard.
One of my favorite salads. A great one for the hot end to summer.
i learned of this salad when i spent 2 weeks in kosovo for a work project. i totally fell in love with it. in kosovo and albania, it’s know as ’shope salad’. i might just have to make some this weekend!