Cucumber, Basil, and Mint Salad

There's something about a nice cool salad on a hot summer day, and cucumber does the trick when I get a hankerin'. So recently I whipped up this tasty little treat that balances the cool of mint and cukes with some spice from basil and a bit of serrano pepper. The basil came fresh from the garden, courtesy of my trusty basil plant, Captain Jack Sparrow. Nothing like some homegrown spices to make a dish especially tasty!

Cucumber, Basil, and Mint Salad
2 cucumbers
1/3 C white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp lime juice
2 tsp sugar
1/4 C fresh basil
1/4 C fresh mint
1 tsp serrano pepper (or more, if your tastebuds can take it)
peanuts

Start by chopping up the cucumber. Well, start by chopping up everything, really. Chop the cucumber into thin slices, chop the mint and basil into small pieces, and chop the pepper into even smaller pieces. Chop up the peanuts. Chop the sugar and vinegar if you want to get crazy, but that probably won't do much.

Once everything's chopped, bring the white wine vinegar to a boil and let it simmer for 6 minutes or so, until it reduces to about half its original volume. Take it off heat and let it cool for a few minutes before stirring in the sugar and lime juice.

After the juicy stuff is all mixed up, toss the herbs and cucumbers together with the vinegar dressing. Let the salad sit for a minute and toss again to make sure the liquid sticks to the cucumber slices nicely. Garnish with peanuts, and enjoy.

See also: Cherry Tomato, Goat Cheese, and Cucumber Salad

About Chris

Chris writes about food and drink for Nom and Glug. He can crack an egg with one hand, but he often misspells his own name, so it balances out.