Cucumber & Feta Salad with Herb Vinaigrette
This simple and summery cucumber salad features a bold herb vinaigrette, briny feta cheese, spicy red onions, and pretty edible flowers to top it all off.
Yield: 6 side servings
Ingredients
- 4 medium / 800 g cucumbers, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices and then cut into quarters
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup packed fresh basil leaves
- ¼ cup packed fresh parsley leaves
- 1 tablespoon packed fresh oregano
- 1 or 2 lemon verbena leaves, optional
- ¼ cup / 54 g extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ½ medium / 80 g red onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup chopped)
- 4 oz / 113 g crumbled feta cheese
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- edible flowers, for garnish
Instructions
- Place quartered cucumber slices in a large metal sieve set over top of another bowl to catch drainage. Sprinkle with salt and toss to coat. Let sit for 20 to 30 minutes, tossing once or twice. It should drain off a tablespoon or two of liquid during this time, which you can discard.
- Meanwhile, to prepare dressing, combine herbs, olive oil, and vinegar in a food processor or blender and pulse until finely chopped. Alternatively, in lieu of using a food processor, you can also just whisk together vinegar and olive oil for dressing portion, and toss finely chopped herbs into the salad.
- To assemble, place drained cucumber in a large bowl along with red onion and feta cheese. Drizzle over about half of the dressing, then toss to coat. Add more dressing to taste (any leftover dressing can be stored in a jar or airtight container for up to a week). Finish with a sprinkle of black pepper and edible flowers, if desired.