Asian Cucumber Salad with Toasted Sesame Oil and Fresh Honey

In Miami, our vegetable gardens are abundantly providing a copious amount of fresh produce now. The cucumbers love the weather. Growing up my grandmother made a delicious cucumber salad with just vinegar, sugar and olive oil. It was crunchy, cold and sweet. One of my childhood favorite memories was going out to the garden, picking the cucumbers and making this salad. This Asian version, is different, but equally and fresh and has a that certain umami flair to it. It is easy to make, can be made a few hours ahead, healthy, gluten free and a hit with the kids.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Refrigeration Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

3 medium cucumbers, sliced thin

2 Tbs plus 1 tsp Toasted Sesame Oil (You may use untoasted Sesame oil, but the flavor is much better when the oil is made with toasted sesame seeds)

4 tsp Coco Amino Acids or Soy Sauce (The coco aminos are gluten free, and less likely to affect those with allergies)

4 Tbs plus 1 tsp Rice Vinegar (Rice vinegar is milder than most vinegars, but you can use Apple Cider Vinegar, just use 1 tsp less)

1 Tbs Black Sesame Seeds (or any toasted sesame seed is fine, black is just prettier with the contrast)

Freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:

Mix all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Stir well so that the honey is mixed well. Add the sliced cucumbers. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. You may keep in the refrigerator up to 4 hours. Serve. Mine is decorated with fresh edible nasturtium flowers from the garden.