celery cucumber salad.
July 18, 2011
We like things that do double-duty: kitchen tools that have multiple purposes (consider a wire cooling rack that can also cook bacon in the oven), easy-to-prepare dishes that can go alongside myriad mains or can be combined with another dish to create something entirely new. Consider this celery cucumber salad. It can be whipped up in a matter of moments, and it’s equally at home alongside chicken or sausages straight from the grill OR on top of oven-roasted potato coins as a little pre-dinner gnash or as a more substantial sidedish.
Plus, the ingredients are versatile enough that they can be mixed and matched to your heart’s content. Don’t like ricotta cheese? Fine, use goat cheese instead. Like a little crunch in your salad? Add some toasted nuts. Don’t think mint will go well with your main dish? Use another herb (or a combination of herbs) that goes better with whatever you’re making. Want to make it vegan? Substitute finely grated vegan cheese for the ricotta. Plus, if you chop the mixture a little finer, you’ve got a relish that can be nestled alongside a hotdog in a bun. Or placed atop a grilled fish taco.
Man, that’s a flexible dish! And that’s what we call summer cooking!
. . .
Celery cucumber salad
makes 3 cups
4 stalks celery, diced to 1/4-inch
1/2 large English cucumber, diced to 1/4-inch
1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped fine
3 tablespoons ricotta cheese (goat cheese would also be delicious)
4 mint leaves, chopped fine (or use any herb of your choice)
1 teaspoon seasoned rice vinegar
juice of 1/2 lime
salt & pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Adjust seasoning to taste with salt & pepper and lime juice. Set aside in refrigerator until ready to serve.
