I'm unaware of the genius that one day thought “salt & vinegar” has a vibe together, but whoever they are - I’d like to thank them for their service. The sour and saltiness of that combination will forever be a flavour favourite of mine, because what else balances these tastes out perfecting than the opposite of the other? Not much, I say!
Now if there is anything I have learnt about cooking, it's that real solid taste always comes back to the simple stuff, the good stuff, and the stuff we all already have in our cupboards or in our fridges. It’s not always about making a 8 hour sauce or importing an ingredient from the Middle East. Although the real Saffron locked in my Persian grandmas safe is prreeeetttyyyyy special, I must admit.
Good and yum cooking is actually (I have found) about utilising the everyday ingredients in particular combinations to allow them to do their best shiny work. One of the most underrated ingredients, I believe, is the use of vinegars in our cooking. Use too much and it's like sucking on a sour lolly, but use too little and you won’t have that subtle little ‘kick’ on your tongue that we all need sometimes. Vinaigrette on salads is the hero part of those dishes because of the vinegar - and what goes best with vinegar and its sourness- SALT. And what salt are we all using? Maldon…duh.
As I drag my grocery bag around Greece you’ll find two ingredients in there the whole time and you guessed right: salt & vinegar. Specifically white wine vinegar. This is because no matter what produce I am buying or salad I am making, these two marrying ingredients will kick into gear and into flavour, whatever I am making in my Mediterranean kitchens.
Have some tomatoes and peaches for breakfast? Add salt & vinegar.
Some lettuce and dill for a side salad? Add salt & vinegar.
Zucchini fried with some pecorino? Add salt & vinegar.
Frying off some saganaki with lemon? Add salt & vinegar.
Of course I saved the most delectable ‘salt & vinegar’ recipe to share for you here, which is a dish we have served at multiple Pasta Clubs in a variety of ways but regardless of those many ways there is always our best two pals in there: S & V.
This Salt & Vinegar Cucumber Salad with Lemon Beans is going to rock your world with two things: its ease and flavour. My biggest tip when making this delish is to keep the cucumber cold in the fridge and make sure you soak them in their vinegar mix for at least 15-20 minutes so that the sour kick can really soak into the flesh part of the ccuuuuuccc.
Like our learnings in “Lessons in Salt” you can read here, its important to add your Maldon flakes at multiple stages of the cooking process in a layering way so that all flavours of the ingredients are brought to the surface of your tasting.
Once you master the simple dance of these two flavours, the ease and excitement of your cooking will increase - trust me!
With love, chaos & rigatoni
PM xx
YA NEED:
1 medium cucumber
1 shallot
1 lemon
100grams of feta or goats cheese
1/4 bunch of dill & 1/4 bunch of parsley (could also use mint as well)
Maldon salt
2/3 cup white wine vinegar
2/3 cup olive oil
Pepper
300 grams butter beans
YA DO:
Chop your cucumbers into slices about 1cm thick and place in a bowl with all the vinegar and half of the olive oil, 2 tablespoon of salt and half the juice of the lemon, combine and place in fridge for 20 minutes
Dice yours herbs and shallot. Rinse your beans and place in a bowl with the shallots and half of the herbs. Add remaining olive oil, the other half of lemon juice, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Set aside
Once cucumber have finished soaking add your lemon beans and mix together, crumble half of the cheese and mix together - check the seasoning and all more salt or pepper if needed.
Plate up, pour juices on top and finish with the final bits of herb and cheese crumbled on top!
en-JOY x
now this is a cucumber salad I can get behind!! yum