Culinary Explorer
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Cucumber Salad
Created by Chef Juliette
Concombres en salade teaches the discipline of drawing out water before dressing: two patient hours with salt, then oil, vinegar, and chervil cling brightly to every cool, crisp slice.
Concombres en salade (cucumber salad) teaches one severe little truth: cucumber is mostly water. Dress it straight from the knife and that water escapes into the bowl, thinning the oil and vinegar to nothing. Dégorger, to draw out water with salt, is what gives these delicate slices their concentrated flavor and supple crunch.
The original entry assumed no saucier, stockpot, or salamander. It assumed something quieter: a brigade cook who could salt a tray by feel, leave it undisturbed for two hours, and reach for clean cloths when service approached. The home equivalent is a colander, two towels, and measured quantities for four servings. The flavorings and sequence remain untouched. One cook, one stove, one evening, though the stove gets this one off.
The colander and towels are scaffolding. The full two-hour salting is the dish and must stay. Dry every slice thoroughly before the oil touches it; if moisture remains, another clean towel and ten patient minutes will rescue the work.
Ingredients
English cucumbers
Quantity
2 medium (about 1½ lb / 700 g)
peeled and sliced 2 mm thick
fine table salt
Quantity
2 teaspoons (10 ml / 12 g)
mild salad oil
Quantity
3 tablespoons (45 ml / 41 g)
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| English cucumberspeeled and sliced 2 mm thick | 2 medium (about 1½ lb / 700 g) |
| fine table salt | 2 teaspoons (10 ml / 12 g) |
| mild salad oil | 3 tablespoons (45 ml / 41 g) |
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