Several years ago, we participated in a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). You pay up-front a flat sum of money, then over the course of several months, receive a weekly basket / bag of veggies the farmer has raised. It allows the farmer to have initial capital with which to grow his crops, rather than buying at a farmer's market, where the farmer has to pay in advance to raise his crops, then only receives revenue upon harvest and sale.
I prefer farmer's markets, simply because I get to choose the items I want, and the quantity. However, it's also fun to just get an unknown basket each week, because it makes you creative in using items you might otherwise not purchase, or purchase less of.
When our CSA farmers were delivering massive quantities of cucumber each week that summer, they also sent along this recipe on index cards. I will forever be grateful, as it is hands-down the best way I've ever eaten cucumbers (which otherwise taste to me like I would imagine grass tastes). The recipe card credits the recipe to Leroy and Sharon Zillman. I don't know who they are, but if I ever meet them, I will hug and squeeze them in gratitude for this recipe.
The only modification our family has done to the recipe is to reduce the dill weed from 2 Tbsp to 2 tsp. It is fabulous.
Farmer's market cucumbers (shown in photo), are about half the size of grocery store cukes. If you don't have cukes that size, and are using grocery store cukes, you only need one or perhaps one and a bit of a second grocery store cuke, for the recipe, since they are twice as large as what is used for the original recipe. You don't want to overwhelm the sauce with too much cuke, since they can get watery. You want the flavor and availability of the sauce to be substantial.
2-3 cucumbers, farmer's market size, or 1 grocery store cuke
2 Tbsp chopped onion
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp vinegar
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt, preferably full fat
2 tsp dill weed (or up to 2 Tbsp to taste)
Peel cukes and slice thinly, about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Chop onion.
In a smallish bowl or tupperware, combine sauce ingredients. Add onion and sliced cucumber. Stir until well mixed. Store in fridge and marinate over night (I've eaten them as soon as three hours later when I couldn't stand to wait). Keep chilled.
I can eat the volume this recipe makes, all by myself, in about 2-3 days. I like to snack on them at lunch time, while I'm preparing the rest of the lunch meal. They are light, cool, refreshing, and have the absolute perfect summer flavor. The dressing mixture also makes a fabulous summer salad dressing!
