Cuke and Tomato Salad

This refreshing salad using the bounty of the garden is a twist on the salad my mother has made since I was a kid.  Twisted up in that I added fresh herbs and tomatoes to the mix.  Its got the wonderful sweetness of fresh tomatoes to offset the tang of the vinegar and sour cream.

For the love of god, if you don't have a mandolin or a handy dandy hand mandolin get one.  They are dirt cheap at cooking supply stores.  I bought mine a few years ago at Surfas in Culver City for $19.99 and it includes a guard so you don't slice the digits in your zeal.  Really makes fast work of all the thin slicing stuff one needs to do.

Cuke and Tomato Salad

• 2 large cucumbers, peeled and cubed
• 10 oz, about 2 cups cherry tomato halved
• 1/2 large onion thinly sliced
• 1/2 c sour cream
• 1 T white wine vinegar
• 1 t salt
• 1/2 fresh ground black pepper
• 1 t fresh dill finely chopped.

Combine veggies in a bowl.  Sprinkle over dill and black pepper.  Mix together sour cream, white wine vinegar and salt.  Whisk until smooth.  Pour over the veggie mixture and toss lightly.  Cover and chill at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to meld.  Great with spicy or grilled foods.

Chunky Potato Soup with Dill

Gourmet Magazine arrived over the weekend and an entire section was dedicated to meals in minutes. My kind of meals. One that got my attention right away was a simple soup recipe that reported belonged to one of the staff members Polish Grandmother that everyone wolfed down fast. Worth a try. It was actually quite tasty and reminded me of the dilled new potatoes my Mom would make when I was a kid. The recipe:

Chunky Potato Soup with Dill

• 2 large carrots - cut into 1/2 inch chunks
  2 celery stalks - cut into 1/2 inch chunks
  1 1/2 los Russet potatoes (about 4 large) cut into 1/2 inch dice
  
• 1/2 stick butter
  
• 4 c water
  
• 2 T fresh chopped dill (I used dry as fresh is rarely in stock in my fridge)
  
• 1 1/2 t salt
  1/2 t pepper
  
• 1 c WHOLE milk

Heat butter in large stock pot. Add vegetables and 1/2 t salt. Cook over medium hit for 10-15 minutes stirring occassionally until the vegies begin to brown and stick to bottom of the pot.

Add water, remaining salt and pepper. Bring to boil and reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 15 minutes until vegies are cooked through and easily pierced with fork.
Ladle off 2 cups of soup into blender. Add Milk. Process until smooth. Use caution when blending hot liquids, put a towel over the lid to catch any steam or liquid released while blending.

Return puree to the soup and heat through. Add Dill.

All in all it was a pretty tasty soup. It would work as a vegetarian meal but not vegan because of the dairy. Regardless with a simple salad and a glass of milk it made a good winter meal.

I think next time I make it I will use chicken stock instead of the water for a fuller depth of flavor. I would probably add another carrot or two for that added sweetness in the back. I'd consider garnishing the bowl with some fresh parsley and sour cream (bacon bits?) and still keep its simple flavor.