Cucumbers exude their juice and become limp after being cut. They will dilute whatever medium used. You could toss them with a vinagrette dressing and keep refrigerated for use on a green salad.

The one cucumbers-only "salad" I've made is Joy of Cooking's Wilted Cucumbers. I serve it with salmon. I use the vinegar version. Since they have been wilted they do keep ..... maybe 3 days?

Used in gazpacho recipes (cold soup) it is usually recommended to eat the same day, altho I have eaten leftovers the 2nd day and it was still tasty.

This one may seem a bit strange but i've been making it every other week or so, especially after a grilling of smoked pulled pork.
Really nice on a sandwich or as a cold side salad...with fish chicken pork or steak...

-Two large cucumbers, peeled, sliced in half and seeds removed with a spoon. one i grate on the large holes of box grater, the other i slice in thin, not too thin, half moons. Sometimes a few long ribbons with a peeler. (when the grocer has the little thin skinned baby ones i just slice thick rounds without peeling or seeding)
-grate one or two peeled carrots, or a few long ribbons with a peeler
chop 1-6 cloves garlic, lol, to taste (we like garlic)
-2-4 ribs celery, slices thin
-handful parsley or cilantro, chopped fine...i use the tender stems, so much crisp flavor!
-tsp of dried dill, (optional)
-1/2 lemon juice
-a touch of sweet...honey or maple syrup, tsp-tblsp

toss all in a bowl with cup of apple cider vinegar and 2 cups cold water. cover a rest in fridge for a couple hours or over night. It is really just a quick fresh pickle. The vinegar is diluted but preserves the crispness. Lasts at least a week in the fridge.
When i'm ready to serve i take out the amount i need and drain back into the 'pickle', pat with paper towel. Sometimes i stir in a tbsp of greek yogurt, and a bit of dijon mustard.
A few olives, bit of fetta, cherry tomatoes make a greek salad.
But just as good drained as is.
I've trippled the recipe for a crowd in a big glass jar adding slices of lemon and fresh dill when the garden produces.

I just make stuff up : )

Sleevendog, this sound wonderful! I have copied and pasted into Word. You should post this on the Cooking forum, too.

Thanks, sleevendog. I'll try it today or tomorrow.Sometimes I just peel and slice a cuke thin. Top with a dressing of one part vinegar (any kind except balsamic) ,three parts mild oil, teaspoon of sugar, dill seed, salt and pepper. I make the dressing in a Good Seasons shaker jar. This salad is good only if eaten within 24 hours.

This post was edited by jannie on Fri, Aug 2, 13 at 8:28

Hi Jennie, you might try this one. (make a quart, let it set a few days and adjust to your taste on the next batch(es) ). This keeps for a long time in the refrigerator.
1 quart jar filled with sliced cucumbers and few onion slivers(if desired).
Heat to simmer:
1/6 cup canning salt
1 cup sugar
1 table spoon mustard seed optional
1 table spoon turmeric optional
1 teaspoon celery seed recommended
1 1/2 cups white vinigar.
pour while hot over packed (loose packed is fine)
cucumbers. You can do 2 quarts and do on while the liquid is cold...both are good...both will keep good.

Note to Jennie, if you simmer the mustard seed you will end up with a brownish liquid, which is ok. You might want to put the seed in the bottom before adding the cukes...they are good in there. Enjoy!
ps...if the cukes are large, I use a spoon and take out the seeds and loose part.

Jennie, that sounds like my standard salad dressing recipe I use on everything, just whisk it together in the bottom of the bowl and then toss in the lettuce and veggies and chopped herbs. I have used the Heinz Salad Vinegar for so long, that my family thinks the salad tastes funny if i use anything else. For cucumber salad I usually add some sliced green onions and a generous dollop of sour cream. . The 3 parts oil ( we like a mild flavoured olive oil), one part vinegar, salt, pepper, sugar, herbs dressing is also delicious on fresh picked leaf lettuce, with a couple of slices of crisp bacon crumbled in, and maybe a chopped boiled egg.
Try layering thinly sliced tomatoes and paper thin onion rings, lots of chopped parsley and a couple of chopped, hard boiled eggs on a platter, and drizzling the dressing over the top.

Mine's different, slice cucumbers into thin rounds, I tend to remove half the peel first though as it can be chewy, it's a texture thing with me. Thin sliced onions, preferably rings. Then a vinaigrette with rice vinegar, lemon juice, honey, a good oil and don't laugh - milk. Salt and pepper to taste and some dill if available. So refreshing on a hot day.