My fiance and I are off for a picnic today!! He decided to take a couple of days off work and asked me what I would like us to do together. I said I wanted us to have a picnic. There’s always something so special about sitting on a blanket outside in the sun and enjoying a delicious hamper of goodies. For me that means beautiful freshly baked bread, cheese, salads, something sweet and maybe even a glass of wine! Picnics are the perfect opportunity to relax and soak up the sun, as well as enjoy a spot of people watching.
One of the salads that will be in our picnic hamper is this deliciously crunchy Cucumber Salad. It’s a new favourite, that I’ve made over and over again (by the way it goes really well with the carrot fritters I posted on Wednesday), not least because it’s super simply to assemble. I love the combination of rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, red onions and cucumber. This cucumber salad is so simple yet so delicious.
So tell me, what are your favourite picnic foods? And do you enjoy people watching too?
Cucumber Salad recipe
Ingredients
- 1 large cucumber thinly sliced
- 1/2 a small red onion thinly sliced
- 1 tsp of sesame seeds toasted
- 2 tsp of coriander chopped, cilantro
- 1 clove of garlic grated
- 2 tbsp of rice wine vinegar
- 2 1/2 tsp of sesame oil
- 1 tsp of honey
Instructions
- Combine the cucumber, chopped coriander and red onion in a bowl and toss to combine.
- Add the rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, garlic and honey in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Add to the salad and toss to coat evenly in the dressing.
- Sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds just before serving.
This salad is good, but I tweeked it after a first attempt: I cut the vinegar back to 1 T, and increased the oil to 1 T. Also, I added sliced mandarin oranges. Great for a side salad with a one-dish main course.
Very easy, delicious, and healthy–I will definitely make it again!
All I can say is… Absolutely Divine!
I’ll have to buy some rice wine vinegar and try this one out!
Simple, beautiful salad. We had something similar yesterday at our dinner table, too!
Great looking salad… When I picnic I often try to think up something that will stay crisp and fresh and this looks perfect. Thank you!
-Erin
I wish it was still picnic weather in the UK! This salad looks gorgeous – I love including seeds in salads for a little extra crunch. Otherwise on picnics I like to bring gorgeous bread, simple salads, hunks of cheese and homemade tarts. A few dips and crisps don’t go amiss too!
I love dips on picnics too! 😀
What a great cucumber salad! Looks so refreshing and crunchy, and the sesame seeds are such a nice touch!
Gorgeous! This looks really delicious – I love cucumbers in salads! 🙂
This looks simple and delicious! My husband has made me promise to make it soon! I’ve included it in my Friday Shout-Out and Blog Hop! I hope you’ll stop by and check it out. (This week’s theme is salad!) http://www.katherinemartinelli.com/blog/2011/friday-shout-out-and-blog-hop-salad-recipe/
Thanks for including my salad in your blog hop Katherine 😀
It sure has been hot enough around here lately to be munching through bowls of cooling cucumber salad! I especially love Asian inspired ones like this.
Thanks Emma 😀 It has been hot enough hasn’t it! We’ve been having this salad so much my fiance is joking we should get shares in cucumber farms!
Refined in its simplicity and so beautiful!
Cheers,
Rosa
Thanks Rosa 😀
I love cucumber salad too 🙂
For picnics I prefer dips & wraps though, they are easier to eat out there and you can have many different combinations for the dips and basically the things that go inside 🙂
It really is beautiful weather to picnic at the moment 🙂 This cucumber salad looks amazingly refreshing, I think I’ll try your recommendation of pairing it with the carrot fritters. I just bought some white wine at the good food and wine show that will complete the meal 🙂
It is beautiful picnic weather at the moment, and today was no exception. Despite being a little windy, it was a beautiful day, and I loved watching the boats go by on the river. D I’m sure you picked up a good wine at the food show. We’ll be going there tomorrow. I can’t wait 😀
Great idea for a picnic – such a light and refreshing side. I’ll add this to my summer repertoire – minus the onions, though 🙂