Photo by Maggie Heyn Richardson
I’ve always been a fan of cucumbers. As a picky kid who had an attitude about most vegetables, I loved cucumbers for their crunchy texture and mild taste. Now as a grown-up, I appreciate their versatility.
Cucumbers are as comfortable in a tea sandwich with watercress as they are in a Vietnamese sub or a marinated Southern salad.
Backyard gardens are awash in cucumbers right now. Local farmers are harvesting them like crazy. Here are some fast and easy ways to enjoy the bounty.
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Canapės with goat cheese and fresh dill. So simple. On toasted slices of French bread, spread mayo or herbed goat cheese and top with a thin disc of cucumber and a sprig of fresh dill. Tomatoes work great here as well.
Tuna sashimi salad with cucumber and watermelon. Toss cubes of fresh yellowfin tuna with avocado, cucumber and watermelon and a dressing of soy sauce, olive oil, wasabi powder and lime juice. Top with fresh mint.
Classic tomato-cucumber salad. This is the stuff of Southern potlucks and church suppers. It never tastes better than when made in mid-summer. Whisk 1/4 cup each cider vinegar and canola oil, 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon Kosher salt. Slice 3 medium tomatoes and 1 large or 2 small cucumbers into a bowl, pour in marinade and gently toss. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
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Sautéed cucumbers. Julia Child was a big fan of sautéed cucumbers. Detailed instructions for preparing are found in her famed Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Vol. 1. Here, I sautéed 1 cup of peeled, thinly sliced cucumbers in a pat of melted butter over medium high heat for 3 minutes. Remove and toss with slivers of fresh mint and basil, a squirt of lemon juice and Kosher salt to taste. Serve as a side dish with grilled shrimp or roast chicken. Prepared like this, cucumbers taste like mild squash.
Tzatziki. Combine 1 cup Greek yogurt with 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar, 1/2 cup peeled and diced cucumbers, 1/2 teaspoon fresh minced garlic, 1 teaspoon fresh chopped dill and 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt. Serve with grilled lamb, chicken or shrimp tucked in fresh pita. Enough for 2-4 servings.
Maggie Heyn Richardson is a regular 225 contributor and the author of Hungry for Louisiana, An Omnivore’s Journey. Reach her at hungryforlouisiana.com. Follow her on Twitter @mhrwriter.