Tomato-Cucumber Salad
My garden has become utter madness. The tomatoes are overflowing their cages and growing in corners of the garden where they weren't even planted. One potted cherry tomato plant is officially taller than the huge, decades-old lilac bush it's planted next to. Most of the tomatoes haven't turned red yet, but when they do I'll be drowning.
And the cucumbers are a very different type of disaster entirely. A few weeks ago, I noticed some grass piled up in the cucumber pot. I knew that meant some animal was making a nest there and that I needed to evict them before my cucumber plant started dying. A week passed before I remembered that I still hadn't removed the dang grass, and by that point, it was too late. My poor cucumbers were wilting and shriveling up. I peeked under the grass pile and sure enough, 4 baby rabbits were clustered together gnawing on half of an underripe cucumber. Cute. Yet tragic. RIP cucumbers.
Luckily I managed to harvest a few cucumbers before the rabbits obliterated them. I put them to good use in this simple and delicious salad, which I adapted from Andrea Chesman's recipe in her book Serving Up the Harvest. This salad is endlessly customizable to your favorite herb combos and cucumber-to-tomato ratios. It will definitely have a place on your table all summer long.
Let me know what you think of the recipe and don’t forget to follow the sustainability tips below!
Ingredients
5 cups seeded, diced cucumber (from about 3 cucumbers)
5 cups halved cherry tomatoes (from about 2 pints)
3 scallions, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs (I used half basil and half mint)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, more or less to taste
Black pepper to taste
Steps
First, remove the seeds from your cucumbers by slicing them in half lengthwise and running a spoon down their middles to scrape out the seeds. Then, dice the cucumbers, halve the tomatoes and slice scallions into small rounds. Combine chopped cucumber, tomatoes and scallions in a large bowl. Add the oil and lemon juice, tossing to combine. Then, add in the herbs, toss and let sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors marinate. Season with salt and pepper before serving.
Sustainability Tips
Vegetables and herbs: Don't make this dish unless the veggies are in season (pst! that's during summer!). If you cook this dish during summer, it will be easier to find locally grown tomatoes, cucumbers and herbs (and organically grown if you're a real go-getter). Buying locally is economically and socially sustainable because it can help you get to know your community and support your neighborhood economy.