My friend Mary is a lovely person I used to work with when I lived in Modesto. She is the kindest, gentlest person I know. After knowing one another through work for a couple of years, she invited me to come to her house for dinner. I’ll never forget the magic of when I stepped into her beautiful home. It was a perfect reflection of her old soul and her life of travel and adventure. She had the most exquisite antique Chinese furniture (she had lived in Hong Kong for many years). The walls were decked out in the most perfect fairy twinkle lights and it was tastefully styled with pieces she had collected in her world travels. That night, she served me a feast of dumplings that she had bought at an asian market in San Francisco. The good kind that taste so rich and so authentic. She also served this Cucumber Salad.
This salad was and is honestly one of the best things I have ever eaten. It is just perfection in every way. It’s so good that I hold myself back from making it too often because I want to retain its magic. I want to be transported back to that magical meal I shared with my friend every time I make it. I want it to remind me of the beauty of a well-lived life and of the kindness of good-hearted people and of what it means to make a home.
I made it this past Sunday and I relished every moment of chopping and slicing and dicing. As it came together in the bowl, I couldn’t get over just how beautiful it is. I rushed against the sunlight to finish it and photograph it so that I could share the magic of it with you all in this space. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Mary’s Cucumber Salad
Ingredients:
Base:
- 2 Cucumbers, seeded and thinly sliced. (yesterday, I used about 5 Persian Cucumbers with the seeds in them and it was every bit as delicious. Do you!)
- 1 small Shallot, thinly sliced
- 1/2 Bell Pepper, any color chopped
Dressing:
- 3 Tablespoons Lime juice (about 2-3 small limes. fresh is definitely best)
- 1 Tablespoon minced Garlic
- 2 Tablespoons chopped Cilantro (or more if you’re a Cilantro fan)
- 3 Tablespoons Fish Sauce (the magic ingredient. Don’t skip it and don’t smell it before you pour it in the bowl)
- 1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil (I got away with grapeseed oil yesterday, but sesame is far better)
- 2 Tablespoons Sugar
Assemble the base and then add the dressing ingredients. Mix well. It’s best to eat this within thirty minutes of serving it so that the cucumbers retain their crisp bite.
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