Polish cucumber salad – Mizeria

Polish cucumber salad – mizeria is a simple dish but crunchy cucumbers make it a perfect side dish for any hot meal.

End of last year I decided that I wanted to study nutrition and hence I enrolled in a course called Food as Medicine at Nature Care College. The first vegetable under the microscope was the humble cucumber.

Whilst learning about the nutritional benefits of this simple vegetable, childhood memories came flooding back of long Sunday lunches where mums crunchy mizeria was served as an accompaniment to the many dishes that filled our families lunch table. Did you know that a freshly sliced cucumber will lose up to 49% of its vitamin C content within the first three hours if it is left out in the fresh air! Luckily for the cucumber this dish almost disappears instantly as soon as it hits the table.

Mizeria translates to misery, however there is nothing ugly or miserable about this humble dish which traditionally consists of cucumbers, sour cream, dill and salt and pepper. Other versions call for chives as opposed to dill, sugar and vinegar or lemon. The skin is normally peeled for  this salad however given that cucumber skins are high in important vitamins and minerals I keep their skins on. Cucumber skin contains silica which is said to add to the strength of our connective tissue. I think the skin also add to the colour and presentation of the dish.

On this occasion I steered away from the traditional sour cream and made mine with home made plain yogurt. Equally nice and indulgent if you ask me.

Nutritional value aside I’d be happy for a bowl of this salad with some new steamed potatoes. It’s the simple pleasures.

Smacznego! Bella