Founder of @Umami Sans Frontiรจres
For 3 – 4 people:
Dressing:
1/ Prepare the cucumber: Wash the cucumber and peel it in stripes using a vegetable peeler. Slice it thinly into rounds and place them in a bowl. Sprinkle with salt and gently rub by hand. Let sit for about 10 minutes to draw out excess moisture.
2/ Make the dressing: Finely chop the dill. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, your choice of vinegar (or lemon juice), olive oil, a pinch of salt, black pepper, and the chopped dill. Mix well.
3/ Combine and chill: Squeeze the excess water from the cucumber slices, then add them to the bowl with the dressing. Toss to coat evenly. Chill in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes to let the flavors meld. โ At this stage, you already have a classic-style German cucumber salad.๐
4/ Plate and finish: Arrange the chilled cucumber salad on a serving dish. Crumble the feta cheese by hand and scatter it over the top. Tear the mint leaves and add them as a fresh final touch.๐ฟ
๐Little Things That Make a Big Difference๐
โญ๏ธ Choose your favorite vinegar: I like to use apple cider vinegar in the dressing, but white wine vinegar or lemon juice also work beautifully. Feel free to adjust the acidity to suit your taste.
โญ๏ธ Crumble or cube the feta: Crumbling feta by hand is quick and easy, but cutting it into small cubes (about 1 cm) can give your salad a cleaner, more structured look. Try both and see what suits your plating style best.
โญ๏ธ Add freshness with mint: You can simply scatter whole mint leaves, but chopping them just before serving helps release their aroma and adds a fresh, cooling touchโespecially perfect for warm weather. ๐ฟ
โญ๏ธ German cucumbers are big!: In Germany, cucumbers are often much larger than the ones commonly found in Japan ๐ฅ sometimes even two or three times the size! They’re also affordable and widely available, making them perfect for generous salads like this one.
โญ๏ธ Peel the cucumberโor not: Whether or not to peel the cucumber is up to you. I personally prefer to peel it because Iโm not fond of the tough texture of the skin. But if you like the added bite and color, feel free to leave it on.
โญ๏ธ Great as a quick side dish: This cucumber salad is inspired by the classic German “Gurkensalat.” Itโs simple, quick to prepare, and pairs well with almost any main dish. The slightly sweet dressing has become a family favorite in our home. ๐
โญ๏ธ It also appears in another Umami dish: This salad shows up as a side in another recipe on Umamiโa quiet supporting star worth discovering. ๐
๐ White Fish with Bacon Finkenwerder Style ๐ฉ๐ช
Founder of @Umami Sans Frontiรจres
