It's still summer: tomato, cucumber, and chive salad ~ Ham Pie Sandwiches

08 September 2014

It's still summer: tomato, cucumber, and chive salad

It's still summer: tomato, cucumber, and chive salad

Okay. I hear you on the incoming pumpkin. It is September, after all. But that doesn't mean tomato season is over!

I for one am still eating quite a few plates of food that look very much like this. Fresh tomato! Fresh cucumber! Fresh chives!

They're all so good, and they're all still easily available. So let's cram our faces with the best of the late summer produce while we still can, shall we?

It's still summer: tomato, cucumber, and chive salad

Tomato, cucumber, and chive salad

The best beefsteak tomato you have (Caspian Pink in my case)
A lovely crisp cucumber
A handful of fresh chives
salt, pepper, olive oil
optional lemon juice or vinegar

This could not be easier or more delicious.

Wash your tomato and cut it into half-inch-thick slices. If your tomato is particularly huge, you may want to halve it first. Slice your cucumber into thin half-moons or quarter-moons. Cut your chives into a pile of tiny bits.

Arrange a fan of tomato slices on each salad plate. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle on a few drops of olive oil.

Top each plate of tomato with a handful of cucumber. Season as before with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Garnish with a generous sprinkling of chives. If you like, finish the plate with a small squeeze of lemon juice or a few drops of vinegar.

Voila! Your salad is complete.

It's still summer: tomato, cucumber, and chive salad

You can serve as much of this salad per person as you please. I made mine a reasonable side salad size, but if you have the appetite for a full dinner plate of huge tomato slices, I say go for it.

My brain wants this salad next to a plate of eggs, either deviled, poached and served on some nice seedy toast, or just scrambled. It would also be excellent with any number of other things, however! Sandwiches of all kinds would be a perfect plan. So would a big whack of a proteiny salad - chickpea, tuna, or what have you. So would a nicely seared piece of fish. Practically anything would be a good idea. Get what you like and eat it!

How are you relishing the final fruits of summer?

7 comments:

foodfeud said...

Gorgeous! Look at that tomato! It makes me want to go to the farmer's market RIGHT NOW!

Rose said...

That is a gorgeous tomato!

Michelle said...

Isn't it always summer where you're at? :)

Catherine Weber said...

Add some feta and a pita, and that exact salad has been my lunch WAY too many times this summer. :) Gorge on tomatoes and cucumbers while we still can!

Eileen said...

There is no such thing as too much of this salad! :)

I would say it's always spring here, actually. It's been late spring for the whole summer, and now it's going to be early spring for the whole winter. But the tomatoes will be gone eventually, regardless of seasonal nomenclature!

Jes said...

Oh my gosh that's gorgeous!! I want to swim in those colors. We're hitting fall here--gimme those 'maters :)

Joanne said...

I love salads like this. Simple yet so satisfying.