Saba David’s Cucumber Salad

As I’ve previously mentioned, I have been reviewing my older posts (this is from 2018) and updating them. This is an oldie but one of my more popular salads in my recipe rotation. Fresh tasting, easy to make and always well received this is a lovely and refreshing salad to go with fish, chicken or beef.

My father in law (FIL), of blessed memory, was a huge fan of pickled cucumber salad.  He used to buy it at takeout places for Shabbat for years.  I finally came up with a recipe that made me happy and is a copycat of the takeout version.  He loved it and happily chowed down on it. A win, then and now.

 

So gather your ingredients

Take a bowl large enough to hold the veggies and slice up the cucumbers in rounds, the onions in rings and the peppers in small strips or slices (not too big). Place in bowl with a snap lid. Directly into the bowl, add the sugar (measure first) the vinegar, salt and the dill, either fresh (cleaned well) and chopped or frozen cubes of chopped dill. Cover tightly with the lid and shake with two hands to combine the veg and the dressing. Let them marinate and every so often shake again. Let sit for at least an hour before serving. This salad can also be refrigerated and served the next day or the day after that! It keeps well for at least 4-5 days getting more pickle-y with time.

Saba David’s Cucumber Salad

 

5 large firm and fresh cucumbers

1 medium onion

1 finely sliced red pepper (optional but adds nice color and crunch)

a handful of fresh dill well cleaned and chopped OR 2 squares of frozen chopped dill

1/4 cup of vinegar (cider vinegar is fine)

1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon of sugar

1 heaping teaspoon of salt (fine, not coarse)

Scrub the cucumbers, leave the peel on, cut off the ends.  Wash the red pepper, peel the onion. Thinly and evenly slice the cucumber into rounds, the onion into rings and separate them and the red pepper into small strips.  Layer them into a container with a snap seal and right in the container top with the dill, vinegar, sugar and salt.  Snap the lid on and shake vigorously.      Go about your business in the kitchen and shake from time to time till the cukes give up their liquid and they settle nicely.  It’s preferable to let them marinate a few hours or even overnight in the fridge.  The longer they marinate the more “pickle-y” they get.  Keeps well 4-5 days in the fridge. Very refreshing served as a side to salmon, chicken or beef.