Alice Waters' Pro-Tip For Perfectly Crunchy Cucumber Salads

Cucumber salad: it counts among the most hydrating and refreshing summer dishes around. This green bowl of goodness beats the heat and offers some solid nutrition to boot. And while sliced cucumbers might be one of the season's most perfect pieces of produce, they still have some drawbacks when it comes to salad-making. In her book, "Chez Panisse Vegetables," celebrity chef and restaurateur Alice Waters warns: "Cucumbers dressed in advance or used in a sauce may give up too much water and dilute the flavor of the dish," (via Yahoo).

In other words, cucumbers can make your salad bland and soggy unless you deal with them properly. Fortunately, this issue isn't anything that a little salt and a metal colander won't fix. Waters suggests that home gourmands start their salad creation efforts by thinly slicing the cucumbers. Next, drop them into a colander and sprinkle the slices with a light dusting of salt. The slices should sit in the strainer for around 10 minutes before you give them a good squeeze with some paper towels. This simple trick forces the extra moisture out of the cucumbers, preventing them from flooding your creamy cucumber salad.

Some cucumbers may not immediately respond to the salt treatment. If this occurs, 10 minutes may not be sufficient to pull the excess water out of the cucumber. Try giving the vegetable more time, up to 30 minutes or so, in the salt rub. 

You'll also want to ensure that you've put enough salt (and the right kind) on your cucumber slices. For every pound of cucumbers you're working with, you'll need about a teaspoon of salt. Kosher salt is a popular option because it works well with the brining process. It's okay to use another kind if you prefer, though you may want to avoid plain table salt. It sometimes has iodine and other additives that can affect the taste. You can also try mixing equal parts salt and sugar. This mixture will have the same straining effect, but it will also add a little sweetness to your cucumber salad.

Along with more time and the right amount of salt, we also recommend that you try layering the cucumbers in the strainer. This will help ensure every cucumber slice is coated with salt. Start by lining the colander with a thin layer of cucumbers. Salt one layer, then add another layer of cucumbers on top. Repeat the process until you have enough cucumber slices for your recipe.

Some parts of the cucumber — like the seed-filled center — contain more water than others. If you're short on time, then split the cucumber in half and scoop the seedy center out with a spoon. This will help speed up the water-straining process by eliminating the part of the cucumber where the most water resides.

It's also wise to remember that soaking your cucumbers in salt will automatically increase the amount of sodium in your recipe. If you're afraid that your salad will taste too salty, one option is to add less salt to the final product. You can also rinse the cucumber slices before putting the salad together.

Our last supplemental tip is that you start with excellent cucumbers. English cucumbers, a favorite among the cucumber sandwich crowd, work very well in cucumber salads. They also tend to be mild, sweet, and crunchy. This makes the prospect of biting into your salad all the more inviting, and worth the time it takes to squeeze the salt bath out of your cukes.