My recipe for Sweet Chili Marinated Cucumber Salad is the perfect combination of zesty, sweet, spicy and cool. Cucumbers are such a versatile veggie to work with, and that's especially good when you have an extra large cuc in your fridge!...
Greenmarket Cucumber. Early this week I twit-pic'd a gorgeous extra large cucumber I purchased at the Greenmarket. It was about the length of a yard stick and nearly 3 ½ inches across at the widest point. It was only $4. I had to buy it. It was a giggle-moment buying the ginormous veggie and shoving it in my nearly-too-small canvas bag, but it was mine. There's something about extra large fruit and veggies that makes me giddy. Giant Shiitakes. Monster-like fennel bulbs. Super-size my produce and it's all good times. But what do I do with my over sized cool, crunchy cucumber friend??? Here are my two cucumber recipes to chill you out...
Big Cucumber...
First off is a cool salad recipe - perfect for make-ahead status...
Sweet Chili Marinated Cucumber Salad
vegan
2 cups cucumbers, paper-thinly sliced
*My cucumber was one of those 'seedless' with lighter than usual seeds. I highly suggest using that variety for this recipe.
¼ cup sliced sweet onion
⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoon EVOO, fruity flavored
3 tablespoon maple syrup or agave syrup
1 teaspoon red pepper chili flakes
½ teaspoon black pepper
pinch of pink Himalayan salt (or sea salt)
spritz of lemon juice
optional: 1 teaspoon fennel seeds or hemp seeds
Directions:
1. Wash your cucumber. Slice paper thin and pile in bowl. Add sliced onion.
2. Toss cucumbers and onions in a spritz of lemon juice.
3. In separate bowl whisk together EVOO, ACV, maple or agave syrup and all spices.
4. Add cucumbers and whisked liquid to a large bowl and toss well so that the liquid coats each cucumber - don't let them all stick together.
5. Pour into a medium sized bowl. Cover and chill in fridge over night (or at least 2-3 hours at the least).
6. Serve alone or over top fresh zesty market greens like arugula or frisse. BONUS: You can use the leftover marinade as your salad dressing. Simply add some dry mixed greens, toss and serve the cucumbers overtop your greens.
Recipe #2 is a quickie and delicious open-faced sandwich, or tartine...
Tofu Cream Cheese Cucumber Tartine
vegan, makes two servings
1 sandwich sized ciabatta bread, multi-grain is best
3-4 tablespoon tofu cream cheese
1 cup sliced cucumbers
fresh black pepper grinder
pink Himalayan salt grinder
Directions:
1. Wash and slice cucumbers
2. Slice ciabatta long ways and spread tofu cream cheese on top.
3. Layer cucumbers over bread and cream cheese. Grind a pinch of salt over top and plentiful amounts of fresh black pepper.
Serve!
