Salted Cucumbers for Salad
NOTE: Cucumbers
are so watery that they will dilute dressings unless salted. In our
tests, we found that weighting the cucumbers maximizes the amount
of the liquid they shed, as does time, at least up to a point.
Cucumbers should be weighted for at least an hour, but after three
hours they will not yield any additional liquid. Do not use more
salt than directed below; even if rinsed off the cucumbers will
still taste too salty.
3 medium cucumbers (about 11/2 pounds), peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut on the diagonal 1/4-inch thick (see figures 25 and 26)
1 tablespoon salt
INSTRUCTIONS:
Toss cucumbers with salt in strainer or colander set over bowl. Weight with water-filled, gallon-sized zipper-lock freezer bag, sealed tight (see figure 27). Drain for at least 1 hour, and up to 3 hours. Transfer cucumber to medium bowl and reserve for future use.