Cucumber Tomato Salad Recipe
- Carbohydrate 15.1701718746911 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 14.4726250057484 g
- Fiber 5.66300018293427 g
- Protein 5.23286249994842 g
- Saturated Fat 2.01087000078876 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (424g)
- Sodium 161.780572915207 mg
- Sugar 9.50717169175687 g
- Trans Fat 0.679445000150018 g
- Calories 199 calories
Step-by-step
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 cups english cucumbers
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 1/4 red onion thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped herbs of your choice
- 3 cups fresh spinach
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons red vine vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
Osmosis dictates the texture of any raw vegetable blend containing both salt and high-water produce. Introducing sodium chloride to sliced English cucumbers and cherry tomatoes creates a hypertonic external environment that draws intracellular water outward via osmosis. Salting these vegetables ten minutes before dressing prevents the released moisture from diluting the oil-and-vinegar emulsion later. Red onions contain sulfur compounds that volatilize when exposed to air; soaking sliced rings in ice water for fifteen minutes passivates those harsh lachrymatory agents without sacrificing crunch.
Acid-Fat Balance and Emulsification
Red wine vinegar supplies acetic acid, which cuts through the lipid content of the four tablespoons of olive oil. Whisking the vinegar and oil vigorously before pouring creates a temporary emulsion, suspending tiny fat droplets in the aqueous acid. Dried oregano contains carvacrol and thymol, fat-soluble aromatic compounds that bind effectively to the olive oil molecules, distributing flavor evenly across the fresh spinach bed.
- Water pooling at the base of the bowl indicates that excess moisture was not drained from the cucumbers after salting.
- Substituting white balsamic vinegar for red wine vinegar requires a 1:1 ratio but yields a sweeter profile with lower perceived acidity.
- Storing dressed leftovers past twenty-four hours causes the spinach leaves to wilt completely due to cellular collapse from residual salt exposure.
