Summer Tomato, Fresh Cucumber and Red Onion Salad

This is something that I know everyone makes in one variation or another, but I couldn’t resist posting such a luscious salad. I’m also tickled because it is really a ‘no recipe’ kind of thing—you just throw it together with what you have on hand. Also, this is a great do-ahead and perfect for barbecues and pot lucks. Here are some guidelines:

Ingredients:

3 ripe, fresh tomatoes, very thinly sliced

1 cucumber, very thinly sliced

½ of a red onion, (you guessed it) very thinly sliced

Whatever Italian salad dressing you have on hand

Whatever fresh herbs you have handy (I used fresh basil, oregano, parsley and thyme)

A handful of whatever crumbly cheese you have on hand (Feta, Parmesan, Cojito, Goat Cheese—I’m using a beautiful Greek Kasseri)

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Put the red onion slices in a bowl of ice water for 15 minutes (totally optional, but it cuts the sting from the red onions). Starting from the outside of a dinner plate, arrange slices of tomato, cucumbers and onion in a spiral pattern, ending in the middle. Drizzle with Italian dressing, sprinkle on your herbs and cover with plastic wrap for at least one hour (up to 8 is great). Sprinkle on some cheese, salt and pepper and serve with crusty bread slices for soaking up the juices on the plate.