Super Easy Cucumber Salad

Cucumber Salad

Okay, you may have noticed that I'm not a huge salad person by the lack of salad talk here on my blog.  I actually had to create a new label just for this post. ;-)  But, there is one simple vegetable salad that I do love to make and eat.  I was first introduced to this dish by an Austrian friend while backpacking around Europe over twenty years ago.  I stayed with her and her family for a couple of weeks in Vienna and let's just say that most meals were comprised of meat, with a side of meat, and the day she introduced me to this light, summery and refreshing cucumber treat my gut thought it had won the lottery.  She showed me how to prepare it and I have been making it off and on ever since.  It's basically just thinly sliced cucumber and onion in a vinaigrette dressing.  There are countless versions and variations of this recipe all over the place so feel free to play around with the dressing.  I don't usually measure but today, for the purpose of sharing, I made it as follows.

Ingredients:

1 English cucumber thinly sliced
1 small red onion thinly sliced
juice from half a lemon
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons agave nectar (or sweetener of your choice)
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

Thinly slice the cucumber and place in medium sized bowl. (I don't like it too thin or it goes soggy after a day in the fridge) Squeeze lemon juice over the cucumber and toss. Add thinly sliced onion. (The onion I do slice as thin as possible because it's raw.)

Whisk together remaining ingredients, taste for seasoning and pour over the cucumber and onion.  Toss to mix and refrigerate.  I like to eat it right away but many recipes suggest leaving it to cool.  It's up to you!   The salad should keep in the fridge, tightly covered for a day or two.