Salad Days: Old-Fashioned Cucumbers with Dill

Enlarge Image Image Gallery If you prefer a sour cream dressing for the cucumber salad, use a generous half-cup instead of the oil, and add just enough vinegar to give it a little zing. Photo By Joe Coca

Old-Fashioned Cucumbers with Dill
Serves 6 to 8 

This old-fashioned side dish is especially good with English or Japanese cucumbers, which have tender edible skins and seeds.

3 regular or 2 English or Japanese cucumbers
1 small red onion
3/4 cup loosely packed dill leaves, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
11/2 tablespoons tarragon or white wine vinegar
Salt and fresh-ground black pepper
About 1 teaspoon sugar, optional

1. Scrub the cucumbers and peel them if the skins are waxy or tough. If the skins are tasty, remove 4 or 5 strips lengthwise around the cucumbers. Trim the ends and slice the cucumbers about 1/4-inch thick.

2. Halve the onion lengthwise and cut crosswise into thin half-circles. Mix the oil and vinegar together and season with salt, pepper, and sugar if desired. Stir in the dill. Toss the dressing with the vegetables, cover, and marinate for at least an hour in the refrigerator. Taste for seasoning and adjust with a little more oil, vinegar, or salt and pepper.

For more salad recipes, read the original article, "Salad Days: 5 Summer Salad Recipes."