Cucumber Crouton Salad Recipes

FRESH TOMATO AND CUCUMBER SALAD WITH BUTTERY GARLIC CROUTONS

Steps:

• Melt 2 tablespoons Country Crock® Spread in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add bread cubes and cook, tossing frequently, until light golden, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with garlic and cook over low heat, tossing, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove and set aside.
• Melt remaining 2 tablespoons Spread in same skillet over medium-high heat and cook onions, stirring occasionally, until light golden and crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Remove and set aside.
• Put toasted bread cubes, onions, tomatoes, and cucumbers in large bowl; toss. Drizzle with vinegar and sprinkle with basil and toss.

TOMATO AND GARLIC CROUTON SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a small skillet over medium-low heat, add 3 tablespoons olive oil, the butter, garlic, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper, to taste. Cook to infuse the butter and oil with the garlic, about 4 minutes.
• Add the cubed bread to a large bowl, pour the butter and garlic mixture over the bread and toss to coat. Transfer to a sheet tray and bake until crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
• In a small bowl whisk together the remaining olive oil and red wine vinegar and set aside.
• In a large serving bowl, combine the tomatoes, olives, mozzarella, croutons, basil, and the oil and vinegar mixture. Gently toss to coat all the tomatoes and croutons. Let the salad sit for 10 minutes before serving.

CUCUMBER-CROUTON SALAD

Steps:

• Trim ends off cucumbers and peel. Cut cucumbers in half lengthwise and scrape out seeds with a teaspoon. Cut cucumbers lengthwise into 3/4-inch strips. Then cut strips into 3/4-inch cubes. (You should have 7 to 8 cups.)
• Combine yogurt, salt, oil, cayenne pepper, lemon juice and dill weed in a bowl. Add cucumber cubes and mix well. Refrigerate. (The recipe can be prepared to this point 5 to 6 hours ahead.)
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Cut bread into 1-inch cubes, spread on a cookie sheet, and bake for 14 to 15 minutes, until nicely browned and crusty on all sides. Set aside.
• At serving time, add the parsley or mint and the toasted bread cubes to the cucumbers. Toss briefly; most of the liquid will be absorbed by the bread. Serve within the next 30 minutes, mounding the salad on lettuce leaves if desired.

LETTUCE SOUP WITH CUCUMBER CROUTONS

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large saucepan, and add scallions. Sauté until softened. Add potatoes to pan, stir well, then add stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low, and simmer until potatoes are tender, 15 minutes.
• Add the lettuce to the pan, and stir until it is wilted. Remove from heat, and allow it to cool until no longer steaming. Using a blender and, working in batches, purée soup until it is smooth. Transfer to a serving bowl, and add 1/3 cup sour cream and salt to taste. Stir until smooth, and adjust sour cream and salt as needed. If soup is to be served chilled (it may be served at room temperature), cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
• To serve, ladle into bowls, and sprinkle with chives and cucumber ''croutons.''

FRESH CUCUMBER SALAD

Steps:

• Place cucumbers in a 1-1/2- or 2-qt. glass container. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, shake remaining ingredients until combined. Pour over cucumbers. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Serve with a slotted spoon.

CRISPY CROUTON SALAD

Steps:

• Place bread cubes in a single layer in an ungreased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake at 450° for 6-8 minutes or until golden brown, stirring twice. Cool., In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, mozzarella, yellow pepper and basil. In a small bowl, whisk the oil, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper. Pour over salad and toss to coat. Sprinkle with croutons.

CUCUMBER AND GARLIC SALAD

Steps:

• You can either peel the cucumber or not (I don't) slice them thin and set in a bowl and salt them. Cover with plastic wrap and place in your fridge. This can be done upto 1 hour prior to serving or early in the morning and left until dinner time. The cucumbers will release water due to the salt and make them soft. The amount of cucumbers also depends on the number of people to be served so eyeball it.
• While your cucumbers are in the fridge, peel and mince your garlic and set aside until you are ready to serve your salad.
• Now to put salad together:.
• Squeeze some of the excess water from your cucumber (you don't need to save the water). Place the squeezed cucumber in another bowl along with the minced garlic. To this add some vinegar. Mix and taste, if it is too vinegary add abit water. Serve! Simple but great.
• This recipe is a very rustic salad and great if you're on a budget. Just remember to not salt the cucumber in the beginning too much because it's easier to add salt in the last stage. Keep tasting and adjusting until you feel the taste is perfect for you.

BIG CHICKEN & CROUTON SALAD

Steps:

• Remove the skin from the chicken and pull the meat off the bones in chunks. Tear the meat into smaller pieces. Toast the bread, then brush with olive oil. Roughly chop into chunky croutons.
• Put the lettuce into a large bowl and scatter over the chicken, celery, onions and cucumber in layers. The salad will hold like this for up to 2 hrs in the fridge.
• Mix the mayonnaise with the vinegar and season well. Stir in the chopped tarragon, then spoon over the salad. Toss well, scatter with the croutons and serve.