While I know that many do not care for them, I must admit a fondness for cucumbers. The noisy crunch gets me every time I bite into them, and I love their icy texture. I made a simple grilled fish for dinner tonight and I wanted something to offset it's mildness and lack of texture. I had seen the recipe for this salsa in Bon Appetit magazine and thought this would be a perfect time to give it a test run. I'm glad I did. The salsa is light, refreshing and packed with flavor. I will make it again. I served large scoops of it in lettuce cups, so for my purposes it was a salad rather than a condiment. This is very easy to make and the ingredients are nicely balanced. Both the jalape?o and mint are an integral part of the salsa, so make sure you use them both when you put this dish together. You can use any type of cucumber to make the salsa, but do make sure you scoop away and discard the seeds. If you like cucumbers, you'll find this a pleasant addition to your table. Here's how the salsa is made.

Cucumber Salsa

Ingredients:

2 cups finely diced peeled cucumber

1/2 cup finely diced red onion

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

1 jalape?o (with seeds), finely diced

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Mix first five ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir in lime juice and oil. Season to taste with kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and more lime juice, if desired. Yield: 3 cups.

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