A Bounty of Cucumber (Recipes)

The cucumbers are having a great season and we are harvesting from both the high tunnel and the field right now. We thought we would post some of our favorite cucumber recipes. If have a favorite cucumber recipe to add, please send it to us and we'll add it to the list.

Tzatziki - Greek Cucumber Yogurt Sauce

1 cup Greek Yogurt

1tbsp. extra-virgin Olive Oil

Juice from 1/2 a lemon

1/2 cup chopped Cucumber

2 cloes chopped Garlic

1 tbsp. chopped Fresh Dill

Salt & Pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients. Serve with pita bread and/or veggies for dipping.

Chopped Cucumber and Tomato Salad

By David Tanis - from NYT Cooking

Ingredients

Yields 6 servings

1 cup diced red onion

2 garlic cloves, smashed to a paste with a little salt

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 roasted peppers, preferably orange or yellow, chopped

3 cups halved cherry tomatoes

3 cups chopped thin-skinned cucumber, such as Persian, skin on, in ½-inch cubes

½ cup chopped celery hearts, plus leaves

Kosher salt and black pepper

3 tablespoons roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley

4 ounces feta or queso fresco, crumbled (about 1 cup)

PREPARATION

Step 1

Put onion, garlic, vinegar and olive oil in a large mixing bowl. Let macerate for 10 minutes.

Step 2

Add roasted peppers, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and celery. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and toss well. Let macerate for at least 20 minutes, tossing several times with the dressing. You can also prepare the ingredients in advance, and assemble the salad up to 1 hour before serving.

Step 3

To serve, toss once more and transfer to a deep platter or wide bowl. Sprinkle with parsley and feta.

Crispy Grains and Halloumi With Smashed Cucumbers

By Ali Slagle - from NYT Cooking

INGREDIENTS

Yield:

4 servings

3cups cooked grains (such as brown rice, wheat berries, farro or a mix), shaken or patted dry

8 to 9ounces halloumi or feta, torn into ½- to 1-inch pieces

1(15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained, rinsed and shaken dry

4Persian or mini seedless cucumbers

Kosher salt

2limes or lemons or 1 grapefruit

½cup finely chopped cilantro, dill or parsley leaves and stems, or a mix

¼cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed

1teaspoon ground cumin or coriander

Black pepper

PREPARATION

Step 1

Heat the broiler on high with a rack six or fewer inches from the heat source. Put the grains, halloumi and chickpeas on a sheet pan to air dry while you prepare the other ingredients. (You can do this up to a day ahead and refrigerate the sheet pan.)

Step 2

Meanwhile, smash the cucumbers with the side of your knife until they’re craggy and split. Coarsely chop into irregular ½-inch pieces. Transfer the cucumbers and any liquid on the cutting board to a small bowl and season with salt. Finely grate about 1 teaspoon of the citrus zest over the cucumbers, then squeeze in 3 tablespoons juice. Cut any remaining citrus into wedges for serving. Add the herbs and 1 tablespoon olive oil, stir to combine and set aside. (Cucumbers can be prepared up to 3 hours in advance.)

Step 3

Add remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and the cumin to the sheet pan. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper, spread in an even layer, and broil, shaking the pan occasionally or tossing with a fork, until the chickpeas start to pop and everything is crisped and golden brown, 7 to 10 minutes.

Step 4

Serve the grain-bean mixture topped with the cucumbers and the dressing in the bowl. Season to taste with salt, pepper, citrus juice and olive oil.

TIP

You can crisp the grains, halloumi and chickpeas in a large skillet over medium high in a little oil instead of the broiler; simply work in batches. If you choose to use feta instead of halloumi, know that depending on the type, it may melt instead of crisp.

Quick Sweet and Sour Pickled Cucumbers

By Steven Poses - The Frog Commissary Cookbook

These are simple, refrigerator pickles that will keep for a week or so (although they never have a chance to last that long in our house). Great as a summer side or just a snack.

INGREDIENTS

2 Cucumber

1/4 cup White Wine Vinegar

1 tbsp. Sugar

1/2 tsp. Salt

1/2 tsp. Pepper

Chopped Peanuts (optional)

PREPARATION

Halve the cucumbers lengthwise (peeled or unpeeled according to your preference) and slice thin. Combine the Vinegar, Sugar, Salt and Pepper. Add the Cucumber and marinate in the refrigerator for several hours before serving. If you are serving as a side you can sprinkle with chopped peanuts just before serving.