Cucumber-Tomato Salad

Mince garlic or press it through a garlic press. Let garlic stand in balsamic and wine vinegars for a few minutes. *Don’t use any garlic which has green sprouts in the center, as the flavor will be bitter.

Wash basil and oregano leaves. Chiffonade both oregano and basil leaves. Add this to the olive oil and allow to stand in oil while garlic marinates.

Meanwhile, prepare salad ingredients. Wash cucumbers and tomatoes. Peel cucumbers and slice cucumbers into 1/4 inch rounds.

With a sharp knife, remove stem and blossom end from tomatoes (a very small amount). Slice tomatoes into wedges, being careful not to crush and lose juice.

Place tomatoes and cucumbers in salad bowl and sprinkle with sea salt or kosher salt.

Combine olive oil mixture with vinegar mixture, whisking together well. Use to dress tomatoes and cucumbers; serve at room temperature.

Options: Add 1 thinly sliced/diced red onion, pitted oil cured black olives and fresh mozzarella or cooked crumbled bacon.