Not Your German Grandma’s Cucumber Salad!

In my house, cucumber salad is synonymous with Oktoberfest. None of us are German, however, every year for the past 6 years my Swiss husband had chaired an Oktoberfest committee for our kids’ German school in Brooklyn, NY. It started as a small school wide event that has grown to a community wide block party in Ft. Greene Brooklyn. You guessed it, I lead the food committee that is responsible for making and serving 300+ people Oktoberfest style foods. 

So here you have it, Not Your German Grandmother’s Cucumber Salad is my version of what we serve to hundreds of families at our German School Brooklyn Blocktoberfest Extravaganza. If you want to get into the Bavarian spirit and  put on your lederhosen, grab a beer and sing, “Ein Prozit”, by all means do so! 

Not Your German Grandma’s Cucumber Salad 

Cucumber Salad with pickled onion 

Quick Pickled Onion

1 large red onion, thinly sliced 

¾ cup apple cider vinegar 

¼ cup water 

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Cucumber Salad

3 English cucumber thinly sliced 

1 bulb of fennel thinly sliced 

1 ½ kosher salt 

2 ½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar 

¼ cup plain yogurt

1 bunch of dill roughly chopped

Directions:

1. Pickled Onions: In a small saucepan, stir together the vinegar, water, salt and maple syrup. Cook over medium-high heat until the mixture reaches a simmer.
2. Place the thinly-sliced onions in a mason jar. Pour the hot vinegar mixture over the onions, screw on the lid, and shake the onions briefly until they are evenly coated with the vinegar mixture.
3. Let onions marinate for 25-30 minutes. Push down with fork to ensure onions are submerged in pickling liquid. 
4. In a medium mixing bowl, toss cucumber, dill and  fennel in plain yogurt and season with salt. Place bowl in refrigerator to chill for 10 minutes.
5. Garnish with pickled onions before serving. 

Serving size: 4-6