German Cucumber Salad
It's technically called gurkensalat.
by Erin Henderson
This salad is decidedly German, and decidely classically German at that. But Germans don't have a lock on the cuke – cucumber salads make appearances all over the world.
We made one in my Thai cooking class: loaded with hot peppers and red onion and liberally doused in a vinegary dressing, the cucumber salad was a cooling foil to the intense heat of the spicy main dishes.
In south India, kachumber is often served alongside curries. Persia has a version that uses mint and yogurt, as opposed to Germany's dill and sour cream. And various countries throughout the Middle East have a version of fattoush, a cucumber salad that includes toasted pita and anything from lettuce to radish to pomegranate to sumac, depending on the region.
The one thing they all seem to have in common, is their use for lightening up a heavy or spicy meal.
For the German version below, it's fantastic with the classic pairing of schnitzel, of course, but also works with a simple roast chicken, and is a nice stand-in for the traditional coleslaw with fried fish and chips.
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German Cucumber Salad
Most Germans will use white vinegar, or even apple cider vinegar to thin out the dressing, but I like to double down on the cucmber note by using flavourful pickle juice.
Makes: about 4 side servings, depending on appeties
Chef level: easy
Ingredients:
-
2 large English cucumbers, sliced thin
-
1 cup shallot, sliced thin
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2 tsp salt, divided
- Freshly cracked black pepper
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½ cup full-fat, thick sour cream
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2 tsp white sugar
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1 Tbsp pickle juice/brine
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Handful fresh dill
- ¼ cup fresh chives, sliced small
How to Make It:
Toss cucumber and shallot with 1 tsp salt in a large colander. Allow to drain for about 30 minutes, bloting with paper towel to remove excess moisture.
Meanwhile, make the dressing: stir sour cream, sugar, salt, pepper, vinegar, dill, and chives in a large bowl.
Gently toss cucumber and shallot into dressing until coated. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 hours.
Wine Pairing
This salad is surprisingly high-acid, despite the creamy dressing. When working with snappy foods like this we need a wine equally high in acid, so as not to appear flat or overly sweet. The fresh herbs also need a wine with green notes. Sauvignon Blanc, Austrian Grüner Veltliner, or Spanish Verdejo would all work here.