When I heard the first frost warning on the news, I headed for my garden in the dark to pick my last two watermelons and an armful of cucumbers. All summer and into fall, my two volunteer cucumber plants keep on giving, sort of like the Tigers.
So while watching the Tigers play football, I decided to honor both the tenacious players and my hard-working plants with another bowl of a winsome salad culled from "Recipes from the Memphis Farmers Market," a cookbook published locally in 2009. Mary Adcox, a member of the cookbook committee, contributed the recipe.
Preparation for this simple salad (there are only three main ingredients) needs a 12-hour head start to soak the sliced onions and cucumbers in a bowl of ice water. Don’t skip this step. The process adds crunch to the cucumbers and sweetness to the onions.
The salad is also healthier than many other creamy salads because it uses light sour cream thinned a bit with white wine vinegar. I always make a double batch and add extra vegetables and herbs: dill, chives, parsley, chopped green onions, and a jalapeno or two. If I have any tomatoes, I also toss those in for a salad to eat through the seasons with another favorite dish: fat juicy hamburgers from my husband's backyard grill.
Cucumber Salad
(Adapted from a recipe by Mary Adcox)
6 cucumbers, sliced but not peeled
1 and a half onions, sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1 pint light sour cream (I often use less.)
1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar
1 or 2 chopped jalapenos
3 tablespoons chives
1-half cup chopped green onions
Fresh dill and parsley to taste
Paprika and black pepper to taste
Soak cucumbers and sliced onions in ice water overnight with salt. Drain well. (I let the mixture sit in a colander for an hour or two and squeeze it periodically.)
Combine remaining ingredients except paprika and toss with cucumber mixture. Sprinkle on paprika.
And here's another happy note: The refrigerated salad keeps well for several days.