Dilled cucumber and onions

I’ve always liked wilted cucumbers and onions. Going back to when I was a kid, my dad used to make them on hot summer weekends, and then would sit in the backyard, reading, sipping beer, and enjoying his wilted cucumbers. I never understood why, with an air conditioned house, my dad would sit on the patio on a hot steamy summer afternoon. Today, if the mosquitos aren’t too bad, I understand why it’s nice to sit in the shade like that, even when it is steamy. I find it relaxing.

I’ve never really figured out my dad's recipe, but with some help of my friends (and former neighbors), I have improved my wilted cucumbers. 

Last Sunday, I had Cooper and Smokey over playing with my dogs, Camper and Squeeky. As they played, I decided to expand my take on cucumbers and onions. I wanted to, as Emeril would say, kick it up a notch. I added dill to the mix, and then, added some pickle brine from some kosher dills. This came out pretty good. I’m going from memory, but I think this is how I put this together.

2 large pickle sized cucumbers

1 large onion

1 tablespoon of salt

Water

1 tsp. of dill

1/4 tsp. of cajun seasoning

1 cup of vinegar

1 cup of dill pickle brine

Preparation

Wash two pickle sized cucumbers. If they don’t have a wax coating on them, you don’t need to peel them. Just slice them thin, and place them into a large bowl. Peel the onion and cut it in half lengthwise. Cut the top and bottom, with the root and stem parts, off, and then thinly slice the onion. Add that to the bowl with the cucumbers. Add about a tablespoon of salt, maybe a spec more, and then add just enough water to cover the cucumbers and onions. Stir to mix everything. Find a pot lid that fits inside the bowl, so that it rests on the liquid. Press it down to contact the surface of the liquid. (See the bowl next to the wine bottle in the picture below.) Let that sit for about an hour at room temperature.

Drain the liquid off the cucumbers and onions. If you want, you can rinse them. I didn’t, because I like a little salty flavor to carry through. Place them in a bowl and add the dill. Sprinkle on the cajun seasoning and stir to distribute the seasoning evenly. I had a gallon jar of Mt. Olive whole dill pickles with only about two left. An impulse struck me, and I scooped out about a cup of the brine, and added it to the cucumbers and onions. Next I added one cup of vinegar, and then one cup of water. I stirred the mixture, and then placed the pot lid down on the surface of the cucumbers and onions. Place the bowl in the fridge for at least two hours, to get chilled, and to let the flavors blend.

Serving

The key to serving these on a hot day, is for the cucumbers and onions to be ice cold. The cold brisk bold flavor is refreshing when the summer heat is on. Sometimes I serve this in place of a salad, but last Sunday, I served this with a salad, along with grilled chicken and potatoes. I also had some greek olives and a nice bottle of wine.