Cucumber Avocado Salad

By Jamie Vespa

Cucumber Avocado Salad with sumac-marinated shallots, toasted sesame seeds, and fresh dill. This easy cucumber salad comes together in just 20 minutes and is both vegan and gluten free. Enjoy as a refreshing side dish for all your warmer weather meals.

Ingredients

• 1 medium shallot, thinly sliced (about 1/3 cup)
• 3 Tbsp. rice vinegar
• 2 tsp. ground sumac
• 1 tsp. kosher salt, divided
• 2 scant Tbsp. sesame seeds
• 1 lb. cucumbers (English/Hot House or Persian, ideally), cut into bite-sized chunks
• 1 medium ripe avocado, cut into small pieces, or thinly sliced
• 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup fresh dill, roughly chopped

Instructions

1. 1

   Combine shallots, rice vinegar, sumac, and 1/4 tsp. salt in a small bowl. Massage sumac into shallots, and let sit for a minimum of 20 minutes, or up to 3 hours.

2. 2

   Toast sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, or until lightly browned and aromatic. Stir often and watch closely to make sure they do not burn. Set aside.

3. 3

   Arrange cucumber and avocado chunks on a large plate or serving platter. Season with remaining 3/4 tsp. salt, and drizzle with olive oil. Scatter shallots and residual rice vinegar over cucumber and avocado chunks, and garnish with toasted sesame seeds and fresh dill.