Cucumber Salad With Pineapple and Jalapeno

This is my favorite cucumber salad. It's really refreshing served with a spicy entree. I do cut back to about 1/2 cup sugar and like to use black sesame seeds to give it another dash of color. From the RSVP section of Bon Appetit magazine.

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 2⁄3 cup white vinegar
• 2  tablespoons water
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1  cup fresh pineapple chunk
• 1  cucumber, 1/3 inch pieces
• 1  carrot, peeled, julienned
• 1⁄3 cup red onion, thinly sliced
• 1  tablespoon  jalapeno, seeded, minced
• 1  head lettuce, leaves separated (leaf lettuce)
• 1  tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

Directions

1. Bring first 4 ingredients to boil in heavy small saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves.
2. Simmer until reduced to 2/3 cup, about 4 minutes.
3. Transfer syrup to large bowl and refrigerate until cold.
4. Add pineapple to syrup.
5. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.
6. Add cucumber and next 3 ingredients to pineapple mixture; stir to coat.
7. Line plates with lettuce leaves.
8. Spoon salad atop lettuce.
9. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.