If looks were all that mattered, this salad would be a winner. Vibrantly green, looking crisp and herbaceous, the minty cucumber salad was very promising indeed.

Unfortunately it tasted pretty empty. Cucumbers are something like 95 percent water so this salad almost verged on an agua fresca for me; except one you would approach with a fork instead of a straw. The orange and mint pairing was interesting, one I would like to try again in another preparation, but aside from that this one left me pretty underwhelmed.

If you do make this one, just eat it quickly as mint browns once exposed to air. I’m not sure why the recipe calls for chopped mint and then instructs you to refrigerate the salad for four hours. I’ve adapted the original recipe below.

If you are still interested in a cucumber salad – just not this one – I do recommend the Thai Cucumber Salad from James Peterson’s Vegetables. It’s got jalapeños and peanuts and can be found here.

Minty Cucumber Salad
6 to 8 portions

6 Persian cucumbers, peeled, halved and seeded
1/2 cup chopped mint leaves
1/4 cup chopped parsley
grated rind of 1 orange (zest)
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup granulated sugar

1. Cut cucumber halves crosswise into crescents. Toss them in a bowl with the parsley and orange rind.

2. Whisk oil, vinegar and sugar together in a small bowl and pour over salad. Cover salad and refrigerate until ready to serve.

3. Add freshly chopped mint and toss again before serving.