How To Make A Fresh, Tasty Tomato And Cucumber Salad

I have fond memories of my grandfather – Dziadzio (ja-jo) in Polish – finely chopping up tomatoes, cucumbers, fresh herbs, lettuce and onion on a cutting board. He had the perfect tomato and cucumber salad recipe that he would make as a side to his sandwich.

His two tricks for making the most delicious tomato and cucumber chopped salad was to chop everything so finely, that it was almost minced. Secondly, he would only use a bit of mayonnaise as a dressing. Mixed in with the tomato and onion juices, it was the ideal dressing to keep it moist and together.

Polish tomato and cucumber salads often are mixed with sour cream and called Mizeria. It always makes me think of misery… don’t ask. It kind of ends up looking like a mishmash, so it kind of makes sense.

With a consistency similar to a coleslaw, my Dzadzio’s finely chopped salad could be eaten on its own or used as a topping a toasted rye bread. It could be used as a base for an open-faced sandwich – a popular Polish-style sandwich. Add sliced, fresh tomatoes or a slice of turkey or ham and you have total yumminess.

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Using Fresh Ingredients Is Best

The best time to make this tomato and cucumber salad is in the summertime when you can get these ingredients either fresh from your garden, or from a farmer’s market.

Why? It’s when tomatoes are at their most flavourful. Fresh herbs such as chives and dill are in abundance. Lettuce is tasty when it’s local.

We were blessed with a huge garden, grown under my grandmother’s (Babcia’s) watchful eye. When my Dzadzio was ready to make his salad, I would gather the ingredients from the garden. Sun-warmed tomatoes are amazing in this tomato and cucumber salad.

Fine Tomato And Cucumber Salad Recipe

A few key things you need for this recipe are a good chopping board and a sharp knife.

• 1 medium tomato – finely diced
• 1/2 English cucumber, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup lettuce, chopped finely
• 1/4 medium red onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh chives (optional)
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
• 1-1/2 tbsp mayonnaise
• Salt and pepper to taste

In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients until coated in mayonnaise mixture. Serve immediately or chill for at least half an hour.

Makes 2-3 servings.

Enjoy this salad on the side like coleslaw or as a topping for toast or bread.

For those who are on a lectin-free diet, such as the Plant Paradox diet, you can enjoy this salad in Phase 3. Remove the skins and seeds from the tomatoes and cucumber and use an avocado mayonnaise. You can enjoy it like a salsa with plantain chips or with millet crackers.

Check out my Dziadzio’s herbed cheese spread as an alternative bread topping and the Polish beets with horseradish, Cwikla, for a taste of Polish cuisine.

And if you want to pair this tomato and cucumber salad with something more substantial, try Polish Grzanki. They are an easy-peasey way to do a toasted sandwich that’s almost like a pizza.

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QUESTION: What’s your favourite way to enjoy tomatoes and cucumbers in the summer time?

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