Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Perfect for a Summer Side Dish

We dined last night al fresco in the rear courtyard of a friend's house. All of the food was wonderful, but I especially enjoyed the Mediterranean tomato-cucumber salad that our host served. It was ideal for a summer side dish.

The salad's flavors were simple, but I think the simplicity was what made it so refreshing. It included both red and yellow tomatoes, as well as cucumbers, capers and onions. It was dressed lightly with (probably) olive oil and some kind of wine vinegar.

I should have asked for the recipe. It can't be that difficult to replicate. Maybe this recipe is a good start. Or perhaps this one. And maybe I can steal the idea of using shallots from this recipe. Here's a slightly creamy version that includes mayo, sour cream and dill.

One change I would make from the version we ate last night is to replace the white onions that our friend used with red onions, which add color and a little different flavor.

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