I made this salad out of what my grandmother would call "sheer cussedness". It wasn't necessary, it wasn't even wanted, and yet I made it. I made it during a week that was a blur of trips to Paris, miles walked, sights seen, crêpes eaten, family events caught up on. We cooked some fantastic and simple meals together, but this salad didn't really fit in to any of them. Still, I was not about to let the cucumber I had stubbornly bought go to waste. So one evening when the others were taking a bike trip around Paris, Claire and I stayed home and ate frittata (to use up leftovers) and cucumber salad. Now that's sheer cussedness (with some laziness thrown in for good measure...)
The salad is pretty simple; even so, I made a few adjustments. I didn't have any slivered almonds, so I sliced some of the roasted unsalted almonds in my freezer. I also wasn't willing to cross town to buy enough shiso to make one tablespoon, so I chopped up some arugula and also added a bit of cilantro and mint.
And the final salad? It's certainly not terrible: I ate a large helping that night and another one today at lunch (and once Julia discovered the rest, she powered through the lot). I like the almonds in it, and it has an interesting Asian flair. But I wouldn't make it again because 1) cucumbers aren't my favorite vegetable and 2) the rest of the family doesn't really go for sesame oil. But if you like those two ingredients, I would try this, maybe with a bit of chili paste or red pepper flakes to add even more interest. But don't force yourself: as my friend pointed out to me when I suggested making this to go with dinner, there are plenty of other good cucumber recipes out there.
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