Well-Seasoned Kitchen: Cucumber Salads spotlighted

Although the tomatoes in my garden have not liked the cool, damp weather of the last few weeks, the cucumbers are enjoying it. If your garden (or farmers’ market) is swimming in cucumbers, it’s time to make some refreshing cucumber salads. Try one of these out as a side dish for your evening cookouts.

Cucumber Dill Salad

•2 to 3 cucumbers, thinly sliced

•Salt

•1/3 cup sour cream

•1 tab. vinegar

•1/4 tsp. pepper

•1 1/2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried dill

Arrange cucumber slices in a serving bowl, sprinkling layers with salt. Place a saucer or other weight on cucumbers to weigh down. Cover and let stand for several hours. Pour off cucumber juices. Combine sour cream, vinegar, pepper , and chopped dill; add to cucumbers. Chill and serve.

Thai Cucumber Salad

•1 cucumber, sliced and seeded

•1/2 onion, yellow sweet, sliced thin

•1 jalapeno pepper, chopped

•2 tab. cilantro, chopped

•6 tab. rice wine vinegar

•2 tab. water

•1 tab/ sugar

•1/2 tsp. salt

Mix water, vinegar, sugar, and salt. In a serving bowl arrange the cucumber, pepper, cilantro, and onion in layers. Pour vinegar mixture over the salad. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.

Sesame Cucumber Salad

•6 cups very thinly sliced cucumbers. (Slice as thin as you can)

•1 tab. salt

•2 green onions, sliced thin

•1 garlic clove, minced

•3 tab. light soy sauce

•2 tab. white wine vinegar

•1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

•1 tab. sesame seeds, toasted.

Place the sliced cucumbers in a colander. Set the colander on a plate. Sprinkle cucumbers with salt and toss. Let stand for 30 minutes. Rinse and drain well. In a bowl combine all other ingredients. Add the cucumbers and toss to mix. Refrigerate 30 minutes before serving.