Cucumber Salad with Caramelized Shallots and Herbs

Name: Cucumber Salad with Caramelized Shallots and Herbs
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Global
Ingredients: 1 Tbsp Champagne vinegar; 237 milliliters halved cherry tomatoes; 2 Tbsps roughly chopped fresh mint; 1 teaspoons About coarsely ground pepper; 0 teaspoons About kosher salt; 2 Tbsps About lemon juice; 1 Tbsp finely diced cu kieu (Vietnamese pickled leeks)* or mild cucumber pickles, such as cornichons or Claussen dill; 1 Tbsp rice vinegar; 3 larges shallots, sliced crosswise into 1/4-in.-thick rings to yield 1 cup, plus 1 tbsp. minced shallot; 2 teaspoons sugar; 473 milliliters vegetable oil, for frying

You can never have too many side dish recipes, so give Cucumber Salad with Caramelized Shallots and Herbs a try. This recipe serves 4. One serving contains 128 calories, 1g of protein, and 11g of fat. This recipe covers 3% of your daily requirements of vitamins and minerals. A mixture of coarsely ground pepper, shallots, kosher salt, and a handful of other ingredients are all it takes to make this recipe so delicious. It is a good option if you're following a gluten free and dairy free diet. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes about 45 minutes.

Instructions

Toss shallot slices to separate them into rings. Have ready a slotted spoon and a double layer of paper towels.

Ingredients you will need

Shallot

Equipment you will use

Slotted Spoon

Paper Towels

Heat oil to 275 in a small, deep heavy saucepan and drop in shallot rings.

Ingredients you will need

Shallot

Cooking Oil

Equipment you will use

Sauce Pan

Cook shallots, stirring often, until they turn a uniform light brown--this will take about 8 to 12 minutes. Turn off the heat when they look almost done so they don't burn. Lift shallots from oil with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Reserve 2 tsp. shallot oil for vinaigrette and let cool. Save the rest for stir fries and any salad dressings.

Ingredients you will need

Vinaigrette

Shallot

French Fries

Cooking Oil

Equipment you will use

Slotted Spoon

Paper Towels

Whisk vinegars, sugar, lemon juice, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper together in a large bowl until salt and sugar dissolve.

Ingredients you will need

Lemon Juice

Pepper

Sugar

Salt

Equipment you will use

Whisk

Bowl

Add reserved shallot oil and the minced shallots and whisk well to blend. Season to taste with more salt, pepper, and lemon juice.

Ingredients you will need

Lemon Juice

Shallot

Pepper

Salt

Cooking Oil

Equipment you will use

Whisk

Slice cucumbers into 1/4-in. slices with a knife or on a mandoline. Toss cucumbers and tomatoes with vinaigrette.

Ingredients you will need

Vinaigrette

Cucumber

Tomato

Equipment you will use

Mandoline

Knife

Add mint, Thai basil, and shiso if using.

Ingredients you will need

Thai Basil

Mint

Arrange salad on a platter and top with pickled leeks and fried shallots.

Ingredients you will need

Shallot

Leek

Make ahead: Fried shallots, up to 2 days, stored airtight at room temperature.

Ingredients you will need

Shallot

*Thai basil has narrow leaves, a purplish stem, and an anisey scent. Shiso, a beautiful notch-edged red or green herb, lends delicious fragrance to a dish (it's often served with sushi); the red is more pungent. Vietnamese pickled leeks are crunchy and mildly spicy-sweet. Find all at Asian markets.

Ingredients you will need

Thai Basil

Leek