Today, I give you French Cucumber Salad...
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| French Cucumber Salad with Dill and Creme Fraiche, Photo: NK |
better known as one of my absolute favorite fancy (but easy to make) salads. Whether you serve it as a luxe barbecue side, for a lovely ladies lunch, bridal or baby shower, this dish is as delicate as it is delectable. I've quiet literally observed guests tilting the serving bowl in mid air in an effort to scrape clean every last bit. Nothing makes me happier, by the way.
I've been making French Cucumber Salad for quite a while now. Years ago, I enjoyed a version of it at a cute little Brooklyn Wine Bar called The Castello Plan. Thanks to crisp, chilled cucumbers, I found it refreshing and light (yet slightly creamy because of the creme fraiche). Bright notes of vinegar and an ever so slight sweetness from a pinch of sugar were brought together with dill, which imparted an herbaceous freshness. Once I got home, I scoured the internet until I found a recipe that appeared the most similar to the dish I'd just experienced. My search brought me to a wonderful food blog that I've been referring to ever since - It's called JintanManis.
Here's how it should look before you creme fraiche-it-up:
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| Photo: NK |
This salad is also a favorite of mine when I'm looking for something to bring to a party that is both simple, impressive, and make-ahead. I'll include instructions on how to make this portable. Here it is at a recent barbecue:
If you're in the market for a Labor Day side dish, I'd certainly recommend French Cucumber Salad. It's really hard not to love. Here goes...
French Cucumber Salad with Dill and Creme Fraiche
Lightly adapted from JintanManis blog
Serves 6
Ingredients:
4 large cucumbers
12 ice cubes
Salt
1 large shallot
1 tablespoon white vinegar (wine or distilled)
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons freshly minced dill + dill
sprigs for garnish
1/2
cup (4 ounces) crème fraiche
Method:
1. Peel all the cucumbers leaving
some thin strips of green skin. Cut them in half lengthwise and cut off and
discard each of the ends. To de-seed cucumbers, drag a teaspoon down the length
of the cucumber half (cut side up) until seeds are scraped out. Don’t be afraid
to apply some pressure. Discard seeds. What you will be left with should look
like a canoe shape. Slice the cucumbers very thinly until you have pile of
little half-moons. If you have a mandoline
it will make things quicker!
2. Next, mix the
sliced cucumbers with the ice cubes and add enough water to reach past the
surface of the cucumbers. Add 3/4 of a teaspoon
of salt to the water. Mix together gently and allow the mixture to sit for 5
minutes. Drain very well.
3. Slice the shallot very thinly and
add to the cucumber. Mix in the vinegar, sugar, pepper, dill, and another 1/2
teaspoon salt. Combine well. Allow the mixture to sit at least 30 minutes,
stirring occasionally.
Stop here if you are
making this in advance or bringing to a party.
4. A few minutes
before serving, drain away all the juices. Stir in the crème fraiche or sour
cream and toss very gently. You can add extra if you prefer it more creamy. Taste
for seasonings and adjust if needed. To serve, spoon the salad into a shallow,
pretty bowl and garnish with minced dill and dill sprigs.
Enjoy!
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