Cucumber Salad

By sadams1001

Forget fuss—the key to this recipe is leaving everything alone. Tossing cucumbers with salt and then letting them drain prevents their moisture from diluting the flavors of the finished dish. A long, unattended marination enhances the sweet-sour blend of sugar and white vinegar that makes this salad especially refreshing.

Ingredients

• 2 seedless cucumbers (1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds total)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
• 2 teaspoons grainy mustard
• Bibb or Boston lettuce leaves
• 2 tablespoons mild extra-virgin olive oil
• Equipment: an adjustable-blade slicer

Details

Servings 8
Adapted from epicurious.com

Preparation

Step 1

Cut cucumbers into thin (1/16-inch) rounds with slicer. Toss with 2 teaspoons salt in a colander, then drain 30 minutes. Squeeze excess liquid from cucumbers.

Whisk together sugar, vinegar, and mustard in a large bowl, then stir in cucumbers. Marinate, chilled, at least 2 hours.

Drain cucumbers, reserving marinade, and mound on lettuce. Whisk oil into reserved marinade and drizzle over salad.

Cooks’ note: Cucumbers can be marinated, chilled, up to 1 day.