Follow these detailed steps to assemble your perfect Chilled Tomato Cucumber Skewers. The key is to work gently and allow the flavors time to meld.

Step 1: Prepare the Vegetables and Cheese

• Wash and Dry: Gently rinse the cherry tomatoes and cucumber under cool water. Pat them completely dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. This is a crucial step; excess water will dilute the marinade and can make the skewers soggy.
• Cut the Cucumber: Trim the ends of the English cucumber. Cut it into 1/2 to 3/4-inch thick rounds. If the rounds are very wide, you can cut them in half or into quarters to make them a similar size to the cherry tomatoes. The goal is to have bite-sized pieces that are substantial enough to hold up on the skewer.
• Prepare the Onion: Peel the red onion and slice it very thinly. Then, chop these thin slices into 1-inch pieces. You don’t want large chunks of onion, but rather smaller pieces that provide a pop of flavor without overwhelming the other ingredients.
• Cube the Feta: Remove the block of feta from its brine and pat it dry gently. Carefully cut the block into 1/2-inch cubes. Work slowly to prevent the cheese from crumbling.

Step 2: Make the Zesty Marinade

• In a medium-sized bowl (that will be large enough to hold all your ingredients), combine the extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, chopped dill, and chopped mint.
• Add the kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Whisk vigorously for about 30 seconds. You’ll see the oil and lemon juice come together to form a slightly thickened, emulsified dressing. This ensures the marinade will coat the ingredients evenly instead of separating.

Step 3: Marinate the Ingredients

• To the bowl with the marinade, add the cherry tomatoes, cucumber pieces, red onion pieces, and feta cubes.
• Using a rubber spatula or a large spoon, gently fold everything together until all the ingredients are evenly coated in the marinade. Be careful not to break the feta cheese cubes. The goal is to coat, not to mash.
• Cover the bowl and let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours. This step is essential for flavor infusion. The vegetables will absorb the zesty, herby flavors of the marinade, and the feta will soften ever so slightly.

Step 4: Assemble the Skewers

• After marinating, give the ingredients one last gentle stir.
• Take a skewer and begin threading the ingredients. For the most visually appealing result, create a repeating pattern. For example: tomato, cucumber, feta, onion, and repeat.
• Continue threading until the skewer is full, leaving about an inch of space at both ends for easy handling.
• Place the finished skewers on a large platter or baking sheet. Continue assembling until you have used all the ingredients.

Step 5: Chill and Serve

• Once all the skewers are assembled, cover the platter with plastic wrap.
• Chill in the refrigerator for at least another 15-20 minutes before serving. This final chill ensures they are perfectly cool and refreshing.
• Just before serving, you can drizzle any remaining marinade from the bottom of the bowl over the skewers for an extra boost of flavor.