Cucumber and Onions – My go-to side dish

One of my garden goals this year was to use our fresh herbs more often. We officially added the herb beds by the chicken coop last year. They spent last year growing and maturing. I used them a bit, but this year I really wanted to enjoy them. I wanted to get lots of good out of the opportunity to have fresh herbs right in our backyard.

I’m pleased to say held up my end of the deal and they have too. They’ve been quite prolific! Mint is abundant. Dill is wild. Basil is bushy. Chives are standing tall. On and on. If you’ve ever considered adding herbs to your garden, do it! They are a sort of “instant gratification” planting. You pick, add, and yum.

Another favorite thing of mine to do while working in the garden is to grab a fresh, warm, red tomato, a leaf of basil and have a snack. Right there. The perfectly compliment one another. Glory be! This is good!

But on with the show here. Today I’m going to share on of my go-to summer side dishes. Between homeschool and working around the house, lunchtime always seems to sneak up on us. So a quick dish from the garden is always a welcome sight around here. Enter in cucumbers and onions. Yum. Classic and simple. But I like to make mine with a bit of a twist. Lets go!

The cast of characters:

• Mayo
• Rice Vinegar
• Spicy Mustard
• Salt & Pepper
• Sugar
• Herbs of Your choice. I used Dill, Basil, and Chives
• Cucumbers
• Onions

Remember I’m no food blogger so my measurements aren’t precise and my tongue is my guide.

Start by slicing your cucumbers and onions. Sometimes I chunk them, sometimes I slice. It just depends on my mood.

Next, add about a half cup of mayo. Sometimes I make my own mayo. But not very often. Eggs are in short supply around here. Hellman’s is a guilty pleasure of ours. About a teaspoon of spicy mustard is next. A tablespoon of rice vinegar, salt and pepper to taste and a tablespoon of sugar is also added to the bowl.

Here’s my twist on the classic cucumbers and onions: Rice Vinegar. Many recipes of cucumbers and onions call for white vinegar. I started using rice vinegar when we were out of white vinegar. It’s a little more mild and I prefer how it tastes over white now! Happy accident!

Next chop up your herbs of choice and stir it all together.

I’m totally tasting and checking for consistency the whole time I’m making this. If it needs more salt or sugar I’ll add. I’ll dip and cucumber in and taste it all together. Cooking is like science. Just keep experimenting!

I want a slightly runny sauce for this dish. I want it to drizzle off my spoon.

When you’ve got a taste and consistency you like pour the mixture over the cucumbers and onions or add the veggies to that bowl. Whatever fits your fancy.

Give it all a good stir and enjoy! Fresh and crisp from the garden! An easy and great way to use those herbs!

Thanks for stopping by!

Jess