Fresh cucumber salad - general principles of cooking
Cucumbers - a vegetable that has its origins in ancient India. Over time, the inhabitants of Eastern countries also became convinced of the usefulness of this culture. Many Roman rulers became so fond of these vegetables that no meal was complete without them. For some time, cucumbers benefited not only in the culinary field, they were used in the preparation of unusually tasty salads and hot dishes, but also in traditional medicine. For example, in Greece, on the basis of these vegetables, medicines were created that helped with colds and digestive diseases. Virtually every mistress knows, 97 percent of cucumbers are drained to the water. Many will wonder what benefits cucumbers can bring to the body, if it is only water. Despite the lion's share of the liquid, cucumbers contain a decent amount of phosphorus, iron, in addition, there is a group of vitamins A, E, C and B.
Cucumbers also have a strong aroma, which makes cooked salads tender, pleasant to the taste and refreshing. Preparing salads from fresh cucumbers you can not only enjoy a healthy dish, but also restore the activity of the body, you can get rid of edemas, bags under the eyes, normalize the work of the heart muscles and much more. So, if you hear the prejudices about the uselessness of fresh cucumbers, you can safely argue.
As for salads from fresh cucumbers, then prepare them simply. However, despite the simplicity of the process, there are so many recipes that year-round almost every day you can delight yourself with new salads.
Fresh cucumber salad - preparing food and dishes
With the approaching summer season, when you can easily get fresh cucumbers that are natural and not stuffed with nitrates, each housewife prepares her own arsenal of recipes that will help her to enjoy fresh cucumbers by preparing various recipes. Of course, salads from fresh cucumbers are also prepared in winter, but during this period it is better to protect yourself from excessive consumption of fresh vegetables, since the nature of their cultivation is not entirely beneficial. So, when choosing fresh vegetables, try to buy those cucumbers that were not grown in greenhouse conditions, but ripened under the rays of the sun. Products should not be branded, but home-grown. Summer salads from fresh cucumbers amaze not only with their taste, but also with their appearance. You should not hide such beauty in porcelain salad bowls, but taking glass devices, it will also serve as an additional decoration of the table. Salad with cucumber recipes:
Recipe 1: Salad with Fresh Cucumber
Despite the huge variety of recipes for salad with fresh cucumber, we offer the most unusual dishes with a very interesting combination of ingredients. So this time you can cook a cheese salad with cucumbers. Gentle, healthy and low-calorie.
Ingredients Required:
- 400 g - cheese;
- 300 g - cucumbers;
- 2 pcs. - apples;
- 2 tbsp. l - olive oil.
Preparation Method:
Cheese can be taken durum, and lovers of a more delicate type of cheese can use processed sausage cheese for this recipe, which will only enrich the taste of the salad with fresh cucumber. Cheese cut into cubes, the size is not important. We remove the skin from apples and cut the flesh into cubes. Cucumbers better cut into strips. It remains to mix and fill with oil. Olive oil, if desired, can be replaced by mayonnaise.
Recipe 2: Salad with cucumber and mushrooms
If the previous recipe is useful for everyday feasts, then this salad with fresh cucumber can be prepared for a responsible event. The composition also includes ham, which significantly increases the satiety of vegetable salad.
Ingredients Required:
- 350 g - marinated champignons;
- 300 g - ham;
- 3 pcs. - egg;
- 50 ml - mayonnaise;
- 3 pcs. - cucumber;
- 1 bunch - green onions.
Preparation Method:
A salad with a fresh cucumber, regardless of the number of necessary ingredients, is prepared rather quickly. This is especially helpful when time is short. So let's get started. First we cut the pickled mushrooms into strips, and we also make ham. Put the boiled eggs. By the way, this ingredient can be omitted if you want to prepare a light dish, without extra calories. Boiled eggs are cut into cubes, fresh cucumber strips, as well as ham. Finely shred fresh onion and ship to the common ingredients. Salad with fresh cucumber seasoned with light mayonnaise and spread in salad bowls.
Recipe 3: Salad with cucumber and squid
Cucumbers are combined with almost the entire food group: meat, vegetables and even fish. At this time, prepare a salad with fresh cucumber, adding squid to the recipe. Salad is dressed with mayonnaise, and supporters of low-calorie food can fill the salad with oil.
Ingredients Required:
- 3 pcs. - cucumbers;
- 4 pcs. - egg;
- 800 g - squid;
- spices - one pinch of red and black ground pepper;
- 200 ml - mayonnaise;
- 2 pcs. - Bay leaf;
- 1 pc. - Red onion.
Preparation Method:
First you need to marinate the onions. To do this, cut into half rings, add a little red and black pepper, here come the bay leaves and everything is poured boiling water. You can add a teaspoon of vinegar. In the meantime, let's do some squid, clean and throw into boiling water for 1-2 minutes, not more, because the taste of meat will deteriorate.
Hard-boiled eggs are boiled and cut into cubes. Ready-made squids are cut into strips, as are fresh cucumbers. Onions marinated, mix all the ingredients of the salad with fresh cucumber and season with mayonnaise.
Recipe 4: Salad with cucumber and orange
Indeed, cucumber is a universal product that can be used even when cooking fruit salads. Do not believe, cook this unusual dish and enjoy a cocktail of different flavors and exotic fruits.
Ingredients Required:
- 5 pcs. - orange;
- 3 tbsp. l - Red wine;
- 2 pcs. - cucumbers;
- 1 tbsp. l - mint;
- 3 tbsp. l - Orange juice;
- 2 tbsp. l - olive oil;
- 1 whisper ground pepper.
Preparation Method:
When preparing oranges for the salad, keep the fruit over the bowl all the time, so that liquid flows there, it will be needed to fill the salad with fresh cucumber. We divide the oranges into segments, then cut each into three parts. Cucumbers are cut into strips. Cooking refueling. Mix orange juice with red wine, add pepper, oil and mint. Stir. The salad is decorated with fresh mint leaves.
Recipe 5: Salad with Fresh Cucumber and Tomatoes
Is it possible to do without a traditional salad with fresh cucumber and tomatoes? It is this salad that is most often prepared in the summer and sometimes replaces not only lunch, but also dinner. Let's a little improve this salad and make it a bit festive.
Ingredients Required:
- 1 b. - pitted olives;
- 3 pcs. - tomatoes;
- 3 pcs. - cucumber;
- 2 tbsp. l - rast. butter;
- 1 tbsp. l - grated horseradish;
- 1 tbsp. l - vinegar;
- 2 pcs. - Red onion.
Preparation Method:
Cucumbers with tomatoes finely chopped. Pitted olives are cut into rings. Salad can be laid in layers, tomatoes - cucumbers - olives. On each layer fit crushed onion. Next, prepare the dressing, mix the oil with vinegar, add the grated horseradish and pour the salad on top.
Fresh cucumber salad - tips and useful tips from the best chefs
Fresh cucumber is not very "friendly" with fresh beets. Try not to combine these two products when cooking summer salads.
Before chopping a cucumber into a salad, try a piece from the side of the cutting, if it is bitter, then this part is better to remove.
When cooking dishes with greenhouse cucumbers, it is better to hold the vegetables for 30 minutes in water, which will allow most of the nitrates to be discarded in water.
