Bibaby- you must make this salad! Others too, but we all know she's a raging foodie.

[LeftyMom]

1/4 c. good extra virgin olive oil (I used Bariani, since it's local)
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp sea salt
4 cloves crushed garlic
10 fresh basil leaves (more if they're small)
2 armenian cucumbers
1 lb cherry (or grape) tomatoes
kalamata olives (optional)

1. put crushed garlic in a bowl, cover with vinegars and let stand 10 minutes or so while preparing other ingredients
2. chiffonade basil, place in a bowl, cover in olive oil and set aside
3. slice cucumbers into medallions, slice tomatoes in half if they're very big, add optional kalamata olives (also cut in half) if desired, then layer in a salad bowl and sprinkle with sea salt
4. combine olive oil and vinegar, drizzle over the produce, serve at room temperature

It is soooooooooooooo good. :9

[bicentennial_baby]

1. What's an Armenian cucumber?

:D

[Gormy Cuss]

3. Like an English cuke on steroids.

We grow them here in the hot valleys because they never get bitter.

There's lime green variety and this one called "painted serpent"

which really does look like a snake when it's 3 feet long and slithering under the leaves of other plants.

[LeftyMom]

6. exactly

They're very long and thin, the skins are totally edible and not tough or waxy like regular cukes.

Techinically, they're not a cucumber at all, but a melon. They taste like plain-old cukes, but a bit sweeter. They're not as damp and squishy in the center, which makes them good for salads.

Look for a cuke that looks a bit like an english cuke, but with stripes of dark and light green like a scored cucumber. They may also be really bent, and look like shepherd's crooks.

[bicentennial_baby]

9. What if I can't get them here?

Can I substitute? I sounds SO good. :9

Thanks babe :loveya:

[LeftyMom]

10. I think english would substitute fine.

In a pinch, even slicers would be okay. Really different, but okay.

No problem posting it, I got the recipe for free at my food coop.

[crim son]

2. I'm going to make it, once you tell b_b what

an Armenian cuke is.

[flvegan]

4. "Chiffonade"?

Sounds like a cheese-eating surrender monkey technique.

[LeftyMom]

8. .

:eyes:

[leftyclimber]

5. Oh, dayum, I'm in.

If I can't get an Armenian cuke here in backwardsfoodland, what should I substitute? English?

Yummy.

[LeftyMom]

7. English would be fine.

I'm going to have to plant some of these things next year, because they're all kinds of awesome. They grow HUGE, too.

[Gormy Cuss]

18. LM, they're almost as happy as natives in our area.

Every time there's a couple of 100 degree days, the Armenian cukes go into batshit crazy production. Definitely worth it. Painted serpents keep the skinny shape longer than the lime green variety and just look more like real cukes.

[LeftyMom]

19. Gawd, will they ever love Sacramento then.

I'll definitely put some in at the family garden in my dad's backyard (I do the heavy work and he does the day to day stuff.)

Can I grow them from seed, or should I look for starters next spring?

[Gormy Cuss]

22. Seed, and they're easy.

Lots of catalog companies carry the seed -- I get my seed from Johnny's Selected Seeds in Maine.

[LostinVA]

11. Well, we have more grape tomatoes and basil than we know what to do with here

Sounds like a good recipe.

BTW, Haruka was sooo excited to find soyrizo at Trader Joe's this weekend. I think I may have to divorce her.

[LeftyMom]

12. That stuff is GOOD!

But you have to add a little oil to get it to resemble the real thing.

I like it cooked up with potatoes and peppers for a breakfast burrito.

[LostinVA]

13. I'll pass along the suggestion to her

I don't do soy meat, except for the autumn rolls at Zen Palate. She did get me to eat a Tofutti cutie a few days ago, but it's too sweet for me.

[LeftyMom]

14. They have some really great sorbet at TJ's that happens to be vegan

both the lemon and coconut flavors are amazingly good.

[LostinVA]

15. Sorbet is different -- it's supposed to be vegan

I'll have to check it out, though. I like finding healthier desserts.

[LeftyMom]

16. The other soy ice cream at TJ's is better than tofutti

because it's just repackaged soy delicious, which is teh awesome. The fudge bars and creamsicles are both pretty good.

[LostinVA]

17. I do like the soy creamsicles

[ThomCat]

20. Is this still good if you use diced up meaty but larger tomatoes?

For some reason I don't care for the tiny tomatoes that are all the rage. Too much skin, and often too tart.

I grew up on I don't know how many varieties of medium to large tomatoes. The denser and "meatier" varieties of tomatoes are still my favories. :9

[LeftyMom]

21. It'll be fine.