Blog's Category: USSR-Era Cuisine, My Staple Food
Intro
This salad is as standard for Ukrainian cuisine as let's say Greek salad - for Greeks or coleslaw for Americans. It is the most basic salad that was always in my life. Nowadays, when tomatoes and cucumbers are available throughout the year, I make this salad really often. This recipe is very forgiving - if you do not have some of the ingredients - just omit it, it will still be good.
What it is
Chopped cucumbers and tomatoes with pepper, onion and garlic dressed with my basic mix (oil+vinegar+salt+sugar).
How it's served
It is great on a side of any main dish. If you are just for need of vitamins - eat it alone, with nice crackers, bread or croutons.
Taste Description
It's very refreshing and juicy salad, full of flavor and great fragrances (garlic and herbs!).
How to store it
Generally, it is not a very good idea to keep this salad for another day - it is very juicy and vegetables will become way too soggy in it. It is better to make a salad in the amount you will eat the same day.
Variations
- Omit any of the ingredients, or two - it still will work.
- Feel free to use any pepper: red, yellow, orange or green; or all together!
- Variation for "clean breath" which means no onion and garlic is viable also.
Tips
- If you do not have sweet onion on hands, use regular one but rinse it once or twice under cold water to remove extra bitterness. For a really "angry" onion, slice it up and pour boiling water over it first. Then rinse with cold water. Boiling water will "tame" it for sure.
- Do not bother making dressing separately - just make your splashes and sprinkles right into a bowl with sliced vegetables!
Garden Salad
As a side dish, for a family of 4:
1/2 english cucumber, sliced
3 medium tomatoes, sliced
1/2 medium sweet (Vidalia) onion, sliced
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 bunch of fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
1 yellow pepper, sliced
1/2 english cucumber, sliced
3 medium tomatoes, sliced
1/2 medium sweet (Vidalia) onion, sliced
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 bunch of fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
1 yellow pepper, sliced
1/3 tsp salt
2-3 tbs vinegar
1/2 tbs sugar
3 tbs any unrefined full-fragrance oil
3 tbs any unrefined full-fragrance oil
- Mix all ingredients together and enjoy! (The shortest of all my directions so far :)) Be healthy and happy!
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IN PICTURES
To slice pepper and cucumber I use one of my favorite tools - mandoline slicer.
..Love this oil - it smells as...speechless.. that good.
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