Tomato-Cucumber Salad
This is a great recipe to have on hand if you need to use up tomatoes and cucumbers (especially if you have a vegetable garden).
An added bonus is it also calls for basil. For whatever reason, my basil plants are growing like they are on steroids this season! This salad has a wonderful fresh taste to it that I just love! The feta cheese gives this elegant dish a Mediterranean flair. For the best flavor, it is best served right after it is made, but it can be made an hour or two before serving if you are pressed for time.
When you make the vinaigrette, you may question the little amount of olive oil and lemon juice, but it is truly the perfect amount for this salad. A little goes a long way in this case! In this recipe, I prefer to use kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. I tend to use these two ingredients in many of my recipes as I like the taste compared to regular salt and pepper. You don't need to add tons of kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to this salad to make it yummy! Both of these ingredients tend to be stronger than regular salt and pepper are, so I'd start small - maybe 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. I usually add more than that amount, but everyone has different tastes, so it's best to do a taste test after adding a small amount (especially if you are unused to kosher salt and freshly ground pepper). Remember that you can always add a bit more later!
This is a great healthy salad that I find a welcome change from the traditional mix of greens typically served in our home. So go ahead and make this! Your taste buds will surely thank you!
Bon Appetit!
Ingredients:
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved (or 2 cups chopped tomatoes)
2 medium cucumbers, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
3/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
4 tablespoons fresh basil coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
In a large bowl gently toss tomatoes cucumber, feta cheese, and basil.
In a small bowl whisk the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Drizzle vinaigrette over salad; toss to coat all of the veggies.
Refrigerate any leftovers. It serves 6 to 8.
(edited by Anna Weicht)
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