cucumber

In China, cucumbers are considered the ideal foil for hot weather and hot food. Versions of this salad, pai huang gua, are served all over the country, sometimes spiked with dried chiles and Sichuan peppercorns for more dimensions of flavor. In Beijing, people buy whole chilled cucumbers from street vendors and munch them on the go, much as Americans become attached to their cups of iced coffee in summer. The smashing process, a classic Chinese technique, cracks the skin, helps release the seeds and splits the flesh into appealing craggy pieces. Salting and chilling the cracked cucumbers give them the perfect cool, crunchy, watery mouth feel.

Chinese Smashed Cucumbers With Sesame Oil and Garlic

cucumbers

kosher salt,

granulated sugar, plus more for cucumbers

rice vinegar

sesame oil

soy sauce

grapeseed olive oil

garlic cloves,

Red pepper flakes,

whole cilantro leaves,

toasted white sesame seeds,

Rinse cucumbers and pat dry. Cut crosswise into pieces about 4 inches long. Cut each piece in half lengthwise.

On a work surface, place a piece of cucumber (or several) cut side down. Lay the blade of a large knife flat on top the cucumber and smash down lightly with your other hand. The skin will begin to crack, the flesh will break down and the seeds will separate. Repeat until the whole piece is smashed. Break or slice diagonally into bite-size pieces, leaving the seeds behind.

Place the cucumber pieces in a strainer and toss with a big pinch of salt and a big pinch of sugar. Place a plastic bag filled with ice on top of the cucumbers to serve as a weight and place the strainer over a bowl. Let drain 15 to 30 minutes on the counter, or in the refrigerator until ready to serve, up to 4 hours.

Make the dressing: In a small bowl, combine salt, sugar and rice vinegar. Stir until salt and sugar are dissolved. Stir in sesame oil and soy sauce.

When ready to serve, shake cucumbers well to drain off any remaining liquid and transfer to a serving bowl. Drizzle with grapeseed or olive oil and toss. Add half the dressing, half the garlic and the red pepper flakes to taste, and toss. Keep adding dressing until cucumbers are well coated but not drowned. Taste and add more pepper flakes and garlic if needed. Serve immediately, garnished with cilantro and sesame seeds.

Smacked Cucumber ‘Quick Kimchi’

Persian cucumbers (about 5

salt

white distilled vinegar

garlic

gochugaru

fish sauce

sugar

Coarsely chopped chives, thinly sliced scallions, or cilantro

Spiced Eggs with Tzatziki recipe | Epicurious.com

cumin seeds

Tbsp. flaky sea salt

Aleppo-style pepper

plain whole-milk yogurt

½ cup finely chopped English hothouse cucumber

garlic clove, finely grated

Tbsp. finely chopped mint, plus leaves

1¾ tsp. kosher salt, divided

eggs

heavy cream

unsalted butter

curry powder

Parsley leaves with tender stems and dill sprigs (for serving)

Breakfast Salad with Smoked Trout and Quinoa recipe | Epicurious.com

Little Gem lettuce, leaves separated

Persian cucumber, sliced

red onion

trout,

quinoa

olive oil

capers

lemon zest

lemon juice

plain Greek yogurt

dill (for serving)

Cucumber and Tomato Tzatziki recipe | Epicurious.com

plain yogurt (do not use low-fat or nonfat)

English hothouse cucumber (about 16 ounces), peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded

dill

garlic clove, minced

tomato, quartered, seeded, thinly sliced

Like any good chopped salad, the lettuce here is in equal balance with the other ingredients, making this a great choice for those who are less than enthusiastic about leafy greens. Creamy feta and avocado mingle with briny olives and capers while cucumbers and finely chopped romaine provide crunch. Use this recipe as a template for making the most of ingredients you have on hand; radishes, cherry tomatoes or diced onion would all be welcome here. The same flexibility applies for the croutons: Stale bread works, of course, but even leftover hot dog buns, pita bread or oyster crackers become excellent little croutons when toasted in the oven.

Chopped Salad With Chickpeas, Feta and Avocado

small (1/2-inch) diced stale bread, buns

olive oil,

Kosher salt and black pepper

romaine heart,

chickpeas,

scallions (about 2 scallions)

red wine vinegar

capers,

shallots

Dijon mustard

halved,

feta cheese (about 4 ounces)

herbs,

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the diced bread on a sheet pan, drizzle lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss, then bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until well toasted. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, place the romaine pieces in a large mixing bowl, along with the chickpeas, cucumber, olives and scallions.

In a small bowl, whisk together 6 tablespoons olive oil with the vinegar, capers, shallots, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and whisk well. Pour enough dressing over the salad to moisten; toss well. Add the avocado, feta and herbs and toss gently, adding more dressing to taste. Top with the croutons and a generous sprinkle of herbs and serve.

Watermelon and feta has been in vogue for some time (and forever in Greece). I decided to throw in some of my endless supply of cucumbers and mix it up with the melons. I cut the melon and cucumber into medium-size dice (1/2 to 3/4 inch), but you can also make this more like a salsa and cut the produce into fine dice.

Cucumber, Melon and Watermelon Salad

watermelon, honeydew and cantaloupe

diced cucumber, seeded if there are seeds

Salt

lemon or lime zest

freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice

mint

feta cheese, crumbled

Aleppo pepper

extra virgin olive oil

Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl. Toss together just before serving.

You can serve this refreshing mixture as a salad, as a topping for whole grains or as a salsa with grilled fish or chicken.

Tomato, Cucumber and Corn Salad

tomatoes,

corn,

cilantro

lime juice

feta, crumbled (about 1/4 cup)

Mix together all of the ingredients. Let sit in or out of the refrigerator for 15 minutes before serving, then toss again.

Quick Pickles

white vinegar, eyeball it

mustard seed

cracked garlic

dill dill leaves, chopped or snipped

bay leaf

cucumbers,

Heat small saucepan over medium high heat. Add vinegar, sugar, mustard seed, salt, and garlic to the pan and cook until it begins to simmer and sugar dissolves. Toss the dill, bay leaf, and sliced cucumbers together in a heat-proof bowl. Pour the simmering liquid over the cucumbers and stir to evenly coat. Allow to cool to room temperature or chill before serving.

Great base recipe. I strongly recommend doubling the pickling liquid and cutting the cucumbers more thinly if you like your pickles more pickly and less cucumbery. I add crushed red pepper flakes and carrots to this. 

Super easy and delicious. I added a little diced onion. I may never buy supermarket pickles again. 

Quick and easy! Make sure to use Kirby cucumbers. The others won’t hold up and stay crispy.  Double the pickling liquid so you have enough. 

WOW! I've always been nervous about making pickles because of the big water bath process, but this recipe doesn't require any complex processes.
I made quick pickles just a little while ago and am eating them now! YUM! They are nice and crunchy, got a good vinegar bite with a little sweetness. 
Next time I might try half white vinegar and half apple cider vinegar just to see what that's like. 
Note: I also tried A*** G's quick and easy pickles and tossed out the liquid after I tasted it. Just too salty and bland. Had to re-do those.  
This will be my go-to for the next 99 pickles that will be coming out of my garden this summer!

Good and easy recipe. I ended up needing to double the amounts to make the brine for the 4 kirby cucumbers. 

Perfect!!!! I didn’t realize how easy it was to make pickles. I love this recipe and have made it three times in the last two weeks. Very forgiving for different varieties of cucumbers. 

I loved this it was so easy and these made the best pickles I loved it. my whole family really loved them. I only had to add more vinegar because it wasn't enough for the amount of cucumbers. 

This is our favorite pickle recipe!  Very tasty even for larger cukes!

I just made this with cukes from the garden, pretty good and quick. I added some grated ginger <br />

Easy Tzatziki

Greek whole milk yogurt

cucumber,

garlic, finely minced

lemon lemon juice

salt and black pepper

In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, cucumber, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice and dill. Season with salt and pepper. Chill.

BYOC: For some extra flavor, add some olive oil and some coarsely chopped fresh mint. Serve with crudities at your next party. Brush a pita with some olive oil and sprinkle za'atar on top. Bake in the oven until crispy and serve.

Very tasty!  Use your experience as home chefs to adjust ingredients to your liking ie lemon, garlic, etcetera.  

I read through the reviews before making this, and I agree with leaving out the lemon zest. The juice was plenty of lemon flavor for my taste. Oddly enough though, as much as I love garlic, it seemed to me that 2 cloves were a bit too much. Maybe it was the type of garlic, size, or age of the cloves? I'm not sure because I do love garlic. The recipe as is I give 4 stars since it needs some tweaks to be 5. I also think there needs to be a size suggestion for the cucumber. I used a very small one, and it seemed about perfect. However, I've seen very long English cucumbers in my grocery store, and I couldn't imagine if someone tried to make this with one of those!  

Yuck.  I made this for a family gathering with 10 people.  Maybe it's because we're all related, but NO ONE liked it!  Everyone very politely ate a pita or two with the dip and that was it.  Recipe was followed *exactly.*  I thought there was too much dill and too much cucumber.  I double the recipe and ended up tossing a TON of it because I knew there was no way anyone wanted leftovers.<br />

Skip the lemon zest and it will taste traditiinal. Keep everything else the same. The zest overpowered the mixture.<div><br /></div><div>Tzatziki should bassically taste like a cucumber garlic dip as its base. </div>

Just made this, followed the recipe exactly, absolutely delicious and so easy to make!

Recipe really WAS easy and came out great...although next time I’ll only double the garlic, not triple it). Used it to dress up burgers that I had seasoned with za’atar and you could have sworn we were eating kafta from our local Greek takeout place! Also mixed a little in with some plain, boxed couscous for a way out of bounds, stepped up creamy side dish! My wife liked it so much that about halfway through dinner she asked, “What can we use it on tomorrow night?!?!” <div><br /></div><div>This one’s a keeper!!!</div>

Nice easy way to get acquainted with tzatziki. I put mine on pita bread crostini, and had some ground lamb to put on top of desired.

I was surprised at how well this turned out, despite it being my first time grating cucumber and lemon zest. Tastes just like restaurant stuff! AND I get to tell my boyfriend that I slaved away making every bit of dinner tonight from scratch...and it will be true this time.

I made extra and it turned out amazing . I added it to my homemade chicken gyros and it tasted Exactly like my favorite authentic Greek restaurant . I'm so happy to have found this recipe to help recreate one of my favorite foods .

Followed the recipe, it turned out amazing! Tangy, zesty, cool, and refreshing! <div>We made pitas with vegan meatballs that taste a lot like falafel! Give that a try for a quick tasty meal!</div>

https://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/claires-easy-tzatziki-0238773

Claire shares a creamy tzatziki recipe that uses only five ingredients.

Claire's Easy Tzatziki

An easy cucumber side dish that's spicy, slightly sweet and tangy! It'll be an excellent complement to any of your main dishes.

Oi Muchim (Spicy Cucumber Salad)

Korean cucumber

Korean red chili pepper

scallion

vinegar

sesame seeds

Thinly slice the cucumber (1/8 to 1/4-inch thick). Toss gently with salt and set aside for about 15 minutes.

Drain excess liquid. Avoid squeezing them because they will bruise. Mix well with all of the remaining ingredients.

More of a drink than a soup, served in frosted glasses or chilled tumblers, gazpacho is perfect when it is too hot to eat but you need cold, salt and lunch all at the same time. Gazpacho is everywhere in Seville, Spain, where this recipe comes from, but it's not the watered-down salsa or grainy vegetable purée often served in the United States. This version has no bread and is a creamy orange-pink rather than a lipstick red. That is because a large quantity of olive oil is required for making delicious gazpacho, rather than take-it-or-leave it gazpacho. The emulsion of red tomato juice, palest green cucumber juice and golden olive oil produces the right color and a smooth, almost fluffy texture.

Best Gazpacho

ripe red tomatoes, cored and roughly cut into chunks

Italian frying (cubanelle) pepper

onion

sherry vinegar, more to taste

extra-virgin olive oil,

Combine tomatoes, pepper, cucumber, onion and garlic in a blender or, if using a hand blender, in a deep bowl. (If necessary, work in batches.) Blend at high speed until very smooth, at least 2 minutes, pausing occasionally to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula.

With the motor running, add the vinegar and 2 teaspoons salt. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil. The mixture will turn bright orange or dark pink and become smooth and emulsified, like a salad dressing. If it still seems watery, drizzle in more olive oil until texture is creamy.

Strain the mixture through a strainer or a food mill, pushing all the liquid through with a spatula or the back of a ladle. Discard the solids. Transfer to a large pitcher (preferably glass) and chill until very cold, at least 6 hours or overnight.

Before serving, adjust the seasonings with salt and vinegar. If soup is very thick, stir in a few tablespoons ice water. Serve in glasses, over ice if desired, or in a bowl. A few drops of olive oil on top are a nice touch.

Cucumber Finger Sandwiches

white sandwich bread

butter, softened

mayonnaise

chives

yellow mustard

Spread one side of each slice of bread with a thin layer of butter. Arrange a single layer of cucumber slices on 4 of the bread slices. Stir together the mayonnaise, chives, mustard and some salt and pepper in a small bowl. Spread a thin layer of the mayonnaise mixture over the cucumbers. Top with the remaining slices of buttered bread. Cut off the crusts and cut each sandwich into three fingers.

I like these better with cream cheese instead of mayo.

that doesn't look like cucumber fingers to me.

These r so classy. Perf 4 a tea party picnic with my boys. Luved the white bread and mayo, ok with the cucumbers. I could fit 7 and a half in my mouth at once, how many can you do Ree????

My kiddos have always loved cucumbers...we grow them in our garden too. But- they also eat smoked salmon, sushi, caviar, curry and a wide variety of other foods. Mixed with mayo what’s not to love??? <div>I think Ree is amazing and she always teaches us how to make amazing dishes with “ normal “ ingredients that most would have on hand. </div>

This is so easy and it’s a great way for a afternoon snack especially in warm weather so keep it well chilled but is very good and easy

The sandwich fell apart really easily and didn’t taste that great. 

https://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/rees-cucumber-sandwiches-0250077

Ree prepares dainty finger sandwiches for an afternoon picnic.

Ree's Cucumber Sandwiches

Throughout Southeast Asia, little skewers of marinated meat, grilled over coals, are sold as street snacks. Sweetly fragrant with coconut milk and spices, they are perfect for barbecue parties served with steamed rice, or on their own with drinks, whether grilled indoors or out. You may use pork loin or tenderloin, but marbled sirloin or shoulder is more succulent.

Pork Satay With Thai Spices and Peanut Sauce

pounds pork loin, tenderloin

shallot, minced

ginger

lemongrass

cumin seeds,

coriander seeds,

turmeric

cayenne

brown sugar

coconut milk

Cilantro and basil leaves,

Persian

Thai

dry roasted peanuts, unsalted

garlic, chopped

lime juice, more to taste

Prepare the skewers: Put pork in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, stir together shallot, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cayenne, fish sauce, lime juice, soy sauce, brown sugar and coconut milk, and pour over meat. Toss with your hands to coat well. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight. Meanwhile, soak 12 bamboo skewers in water.

Prepare the cucumbers: Put cucumbers in a mixing bowl and season with salt. Add lime juice, sugar, shallots and chiles and toss to coat. Let stand for 15 minutes. Check seasoning, then transfer to a serving dish.

Prepare the peanut sauce: Pulse the peanuts briefly in a food processor just until finely ground. Add the garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, fish sauce, lime juice, cayenne and coconut milk, and process until well puréed. Transfer to a bowl, then taste and adjust seasoning. Thin a bit with lime juice or water as desired.

Thread 2 slices of pork onto each bamboo skewer, keeping the meat as flat as possible. Grill over hot coals, under the broiler or on a stovetop grill pan for 3 minutes on each side, until cooked through and lightly browned. Transfer to a platter and garnish with cilantro and basil leaves. Serve with cucumber relish and peanut sauce.

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