Brief Discourse on Cucumber Tomato Salad

There’s a name for this in Greek, something like agorontomata, but I don’t know the spelling and can’t produce Greek characters anyhow.

All the same, I’m addicted. It’s been on my plate for every lunch and dinner over the last 3 days, and I can see this going on for some time…

Basically, it’s ripe tomatoes, in chunks. Cucumbers, in quartered wedges. Onions, chopped. Soaked in olive oil. Sometimes with extras.

Options

The tomato chunks are the same size in any given salad, but the sizes vary somewhat. The smallest I have encountered is a large, single bite. This is the best. The tomatoes must be brilliantly ripe. All have come close. Some closer than others.

The onions can be white or red. Red are better. Sliced think before being chopped are even better.

There can be a lot of oil, or a whole lot. A whole lot is better.

They usually have olives. Black are better.

I had one served with sliced green peppers (probably mildly spicy). Bad idea. Another came with scallions. Also, a bad idea.

Some have fresh parsely. No objection. Some have dried herbs sprinkled on top. Also, no objection.

Finally, if the tomatoes are ripe and the onions are sweet, then the leftover sauce will be incredible, especially if some herbs or parsely are floating around in there. Walking away without sopping it all up would be criminal.

Salad time…