Cucumber, dill and apple salad with rye croutons

Serves - 4

You’ll need

• 1 large cucumber
• 2 crisp apples
• 1 small shallot, very finely sliced
• Small handful dill, roughly chopped
• Small handful flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• Juice of ½ lemon
• Sea salt
• Black pepper

For the rye croutons
• 3 slices rye bread
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Sea salt
• Black pepper

Method

1. Get the croutons going

Heat the oven to 200°C fan. Cut the rye bread into small, rough cubes and tip them onto a baking tray. Add the olive oil, a pinch of salt and a little black pepper, then toss well. Bake for 8–10 minutes, turning once, until crisp and golden at the edges. They want to be properly crunchy, not just faintly toasted and hoping for the best.

2. Prep the salad

Halve the cucumber lengthways and slice it fairly thinly. Core the apples and cut them into thin slices or matchsticks, depending on how neat you are feeling. Put them into a large bowl with the shallot, dill and parsley.

3. Make the dressing

In a small bowl or jug, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, a good pinch of salt and a generous grind of black pepper. It should taste sharp, fresh and bright enough to wake everything up properly.

4. Dress everything properly

Pour the dressing over the cucumber, apple and herbs, then toss gently so everything is nicely coated. This is the sort of salad that benefits from a bit of care rather than being flung about too enthusiastically.

5. Finish with the croutons

Transfer the salad to a serving dish or divide between plates, then scatter over the rye croutons just before serving. That way they keep their crunch and do not lose the plot too early.

6. Serve

Serve straight away while the apples are still crisp, the herbs still lively and the croutons still doing useful work. Very good as a light lunch, or alongside smoked vegetables, soups or anything vaguely Nordic in spirit.

A couple of helpful notes
- A sharp apple such as Granny Smith works especially well here, but any crisp eating apple will do nicely.
- If your cucumber is particularly watery, scoop out some of the seeds before slicing so the salad stays bright rather than becoming diluted.
- The croutons can be made a little ahead, but only add them at the last moment if you want them to stay properly crisp.