Cucumber & Onion Cream Salad

Since my mother died I haven't had the heart to make pierogi or golabki - they remind me too much of her. Today, though, after a long day in the garden and yard hanging lattices and pulling weeds I had a quick and easy salad dinner - fresh garden salad, some cold cuts, and this cucumber salad made the way that my mum used to make it. As you will see it is not an everyday salad - unless you are out working off mega-calories digging ditches - but it really is a yummy salad to add to your repertoire.And it is nowhere near as "heavy" as you might think - the interaction of the acidity of the onion really cuts through the cream.

Cucumber and Onion Cream Salad

oops ... who didn't wipe down the sides of the bowl before taking the picture?

2-3 cucumbers thinly sliced (mum used to peel them, but I never bother to do so)
1 large onion thinly sliced
fat-reduced light pouring cream - enough to just cover the cucumbers and onion.
Salt to taste. You could probably pepper it too if you like.
A fresh sprig of flat leaf parsley, chives, dill, or salad burnett to garnish

Mix together the cucumbers and onions in a bowl. Pour cream over until just covered. Leave in fridge for at least 1/2 hour - the longer you leave it the milder the onions will become as their acid infuses into the cream. I usually leave it for 1-2 hours & the onions are usually very mild by then. Sprinkle with any herbs you might like - I used salad burnett because it is thriving in my garden at the moment, and tastes of cucumber.

Will last in the fridge... actually I'm not sure, we usually eat it all up in one go!! But I do recall my mother saying that it will last a few days in the fridge.

Hungarian potato flatbread - KRUMPLIS LÁNGOS

KRUMPLIS LÁNGOS

Lángos is deep fried yeasted potato dough. It's delicious warm, rubbed with garlic, or topped with sweet chili sauce (though that is probably not a traditionally Hungarian version!) and spread with sour cream. It is also a great accompaniment to soups, stews, curries, or anything where you just want something to mop up the juices!

Lángos served here with sauteed capsicums and sour cream

1-3/4 cups flour
1/4 cup of  milk
1 tsp sugar
2 1/4 tsps dry yeast

mashed potatoes made from:
1 cup cooked potatoes
1/4 cup of milk
1-1/2 Tbsp butter
1 tsp salt




In a small bowl combine 1/4 cup of warm milk, 1 tsp sugar and the yeast. Leave for 15 minutes until frothy.

In the meantime make the mashed potatoes (cook potatoes, drain, add in milk, butter & salt, and mash).
Spread out thinly in the bottom of a bowl to cool. When cool add the flour and the yeast mixture and combine to a soft dough. Knead until elastic.

Cover and let rise for 1/2 hour. Punch down, knead lightly, cover, and let rise for another 1?2 hour.

Shape into 16 balls. Flatten and roll the balls into flat round shapes.

In a large pot heat 2 inches of vegetable oil. Carefully lower a flat bread or two (depending on size of pan) into the frying oil and fry until both sides are golden - should not take too long if the oil is hot enough. (If oil is too hot it will colour immediately but the inside will still be doughy). Cook all the flat breads and serve with your choice of accompaniments.