Cucumbers picked right off the vine are a refreshing summertime treat. While the vines are producing more cucumbers than I can handle, I will be making many variations of cucumber salad. The variety that we grew this year was Burpee’s Burpless Sweet. According to Burpee, burpless cucumbers are bred to contain low or no cucurbitacin,a natural organic compound that causes both bitterness and gives some the susceptibility to “burp” after consuming the fruits. Although cucurbitacin is found mostly in the leaves, stems and roots of the plant, it can also be found in the skin and the light green area beneath the skin. Stressed plants, those that do not receive the proper amount of water, are subject to high temperatures and wide temperature swings, seem to contain more cucurbitacin. So it seems to me that cucumbers would be best grown in a controlled enviroment like a greenhouse. In seasons where I am not growing them I prefer a Kirby-style cucumber that are greenhouse grown. On a positive note, researchers are looking into the anti-cancer properties of cucurbitacin that may inhibit cell development.
Back to the salad now, I like to leave a small strip of skin for color contrast. Garden or farmer’s market cucumbers are your best choice. Avoid waxed supermarket cucumbers at all costs. Taste your red onion before adding it to the salad. If it is “hot”, a 15 minute ice water soak should take care of that. Cucumbers and dill are a classic combination but you could also use Greek oregano, coriander or even lemon basil. There are several choices for Feta, the classic Greek, but Bulgaria, Israel, France and the United States all make their own Feta cheese. I prefer the French variety which is made from the milk left over in the production of Roquefort cheese. It has a creamier texture and is mild in flavor. Halved cherry tomatoes would be a nice addition to the salad as well.
Cucumber, Red Onion and Feta Salad
Serves 8
- 3 medium to large cucumbers
- 1/3 c thinly sliced red onion
- 1/4c champagne or white wine vinegar
- 1t sugar
- 1/4t salt
- 1/3c thinly sliced red onion
- 1T or more chopped fresh dill
- 1/2c crumbled feta cheese or to taste
Directions
- Trim ends of cucumbers and peel leaving only thin strips of skin. Cut in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds if necessary, then cut in quarters again lengthwise. Cut the quartered cucumbers into 1/2 inch chunks.
- In a large bowl combine cucumber chunks with thinly sliced onion. In a small bowl combine vinegar, sugar, salt, and dill. Pour dressing over cucumbers and onion and toss lightly.
- Sprinkle feta over the salad. Season to taste with fresh ground pepper.
A happy “unstressed” plant!