Viennese Cucumber Salad

 

For challenge #2 in Project Food Blog, I made schnitzel with plenty of sides. Here is one that I had planned to make, but I simply ran out of time. Not that it takes much time, I just had my hands full. I whipped this up after I submitted that entry and have made it a few more times since.

I’m sure you can go with the seedless cukes as is listed in the recipe, but I couldn’t pass up on these- a bag of locally grown for $1.50. It really doesn’t take that long to scoop out the seeds, plus you get something to nibble on while cooking.

I don’t really have knife skills, but at least making this helps me practice making thin, uniform cuts. The cut cucumbers were tossed in a salt and allowed to stand for a few hours. Soaked in water and rinsed to remove the salt.

Viennese Cucumber Salad (click on title to go to the recipe on Epicurious)
Gourmet | December 1994

Yield: Makes about 4 cups

2 large seedless cucumbers (about 2 pounds)
1 tablespoon salt
1/3 cup white-wine vinegar
1/4 cup water
2 teaspoons sugar
1 garlic clove, forced through a garlic press
1 teaspoon dill seed

Score cucumbers lengthwise with a fork and slice thin, preferably with slicing disk of a food processor. In a large bowl toss cucumbers with salt and let stand 1 hour.

In a small saucepan bring vinegar and water to a boil with sugar, garlic, and dill seed, stirring until sugar is dissolved, and let dressing cool.

In a colander drain cucumbers and rinse under cold water. Drain cucumbers well, squeezing out excess liquid. In a bowl combine cucumbers with dressing and marinate, covered and chilled, at least 1 hour and up to 6 hours. (After about 2 hours cucumber skin will discolor, but there will be no effect on flavor.)