COOLER THAN YOU THINK
Cucumbers are anything but boring
Cucumbers might be bland, but they’re not boring. They’re proof of the irresistible nature of edibles that crunch.
What a surprise, at 20, to taste my first French cucumber salad. Visiting my soon-to-be grandmother by marriage in Paris, I found out that cucumbers could be adorned with the subtle flavors of cream and fresh tarragon. I was accustomed to Dad’s vinegar-laden cucumber concoction, something he called “slumgullion.” This new dish was delicate. Delectable.
Grand-mere seeded, salted and drained cucumbers before tossing them with dressing, a process that prevented them from becoming watery once they were coated with cream. Peeling them first, she cut the cucumbers in half from end to end, and then scooped out the seeds using the bowl of a dainty teaspoon.
Placing them flat side down on a cutting board, she cut thin, crescentshaped slices using a rustic knife.
She tossed them with sea salt and then placed the cucumber-filled colander in her tiny sink, and then weighted them down by placing a thick ceramic bowl on top; she let them rest for about one hour, enough time for the tasteless cucumber “water” to dribble down the drain.
Her cucumber dance rid them of unwanted moisture. Tossing them with creme fraiche (a thickened cream with the consistency of sour cream that has a rich, nutty flavor), a handful of chopped fresh tarragon leaves, a drop or two of white wine vinegar, white pepper and salt, she created cucumber heaven. She spooned it on fuchsia-rimmed porcelain plates.
She served it as a luncheon first course, accompanied with a tomato salad, simple wedges of tomatoes tossed with parsley-shallot vinaigrette. And a fresh-from-the-corner baguette to sop up the juices.
The following recipes utilize two cucumber varieties, common and English (often referred to as hothouse).
Common, sometimes called pole cucumbers or plain cucumbers, are 6-8 inches long with thick, dark green skin that is often coated with wax. Generally, they need to be peeled and seeded.
English cucumbers are grown in greenhouses and most often are sold sealed in plastic wrap. Usually they are about 12 inches long.
Their skin is thin and often they are served with the skin intact. No seeding is required.
Riff on Grand-mere’s Cucumber Salad
In this recipe I switch up Grand-mere’s recipe by cutting the cukes into a medium dice before they are dressed, and then I serve the dressed cukes as a creamy mix atop ripe tomato slices.
Yield: 6-8 servings
INGREDIENTS
2 common cucumbers, peeled 1 teaspoon coarse salt, such as kosher
2⁄3 cup creme fraiche, more if needed
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar 2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves
Freshly ground pepper, white pepper preferred
2-3 large, ripe tomatoes, heirlooms preferred
Garnish: chopped fresh chives
PROCEDURE
1: Cut cucumbers in half lengthwise. To remove seeds, use the bowl of a spoon to scoop out seeds, running it from one end to the other. Discard seeds. Put cucumbers on work surface, flat side down, and cut into 1⁄2-inch dice. Place in colander in the sink and toss with 1teaspoon coarse salt. Leave 1 hour. Give colander a shake to remove excess water. Place diced cucumber on clean kitchen towel and rub with towel to remove some salt and cucumber “water.”
2: Place cucumber in bowl; add creme fraiche, vinegar, tarragon and pepper. Toss. The cucumber cubes should be nicely
coated with creme fraiche; add more if necessary. Taste and adjust as needed.
3: Cut tomatoes into thick slices and place in single layer on platter or on individual salad plates. Top tomatoes with cucumber salad. Garnish with chopped fresh chives. Serve.
Chilled Mint-CucumberHoneydew Soup
Yield: 6 servings
INGREDIENTS
1 peeled and sliced hothouse cucumber or 2 peeled, seeded and sliced common cucumbers 2 cups honeydew melon chunks 8 ounces plain nonfat or wholemilk yogurt
1⁄4 cup fresh mint leaves 2tablespoons fresh lime juice Salt and pepper to taste, white pepper preferred
PROCEDURE
1: Place all ingredients in a bowl and stir. Whirl in batches in a blender until smooth and totally pureed and then stir everything together (if you have a large high-speed blender, you can do all ingredients at once).
2: Chill. Taste; adjust seasoning as needed.
Smashed Cucumber Salad With Korean-Style Dressing
Smashing cucumbers before they are tossed with dressing has become a popular culinary trend over the past few years. According to the smashing theory, cracking the skin and flesh a bit allows the cucumbers
to soak up dressing more generously. Celebrity chef Jose Andres, in his most recent cookbook, “Vegetables Unleashed” (An Anthony Bourdain Book ECCO — Harper Collins, $39.99), reveals several variations on the smashed cucumbers theme. Here is his version using Korean-style ingredients to make the dressing.
Yield: 4-6 servings
INGREDIENTS
Smashed cucumbers: 2English (hothouse) seedless cucumbers
2 teaspoons coarse salt, such as kosher
Large zipper-style plastic bag
Korean dressing:
1 large garlic clove, peeled 1teaspoon minced fresh ginger 1 1⁄2 teaspoons gochujang, see cook’s notes
1 tablespoon seasoned rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon cider vinegar 1 tablespoon canola oil or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon Asian-style toasted sesame oil 1teaspoon toasted sesame seeds, see cook’s notes
Cook’s notes: Gochujang is a Korean chile paste, a savory, sweet and spicy fermented condiment. It is sold in Asian markets, supermarkets with large Asian specialty sections or online. Sriracha chile sauce or a Thai chile paste can be substituted, but they offer spicy heat without subtle sweetness. Andres calls for 1 tablespoon of gochujang. I
halved the amount to suit my taste for spicy heat; the choice is yours. To toast sesame seeds, place a bowl next to stove. Place sesame seeds in small skillet on medium-high heat. Shake handle of skillet to redistribute seeds as they toast to light brown; watch carefully because they can burn easily. Transfer to bowl to cool. I use about 1 tablespoon in this recipe; it’s a lot, but I love sesame seeds.
PROCEDURE
1: One at a time, place cucumbers in a sturdy plastic bag and smash lightly with a rolling pin or heavy skillet to crack the skin and flesh a bit — this will make more nooks and crannies for the dressing. Quarter cucumbers lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces; place in bowl. Sprinkle cucumbers with salt and refrigerate while you make the dressing.
2. Prepare dressing: Finely chop the garlic and place in medium bowl. Add ginger, gochujang, vinegars, oil, sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds. Allow dressing to sit for 5-10 minutes
3: Drain cucumbers and pat dry with clean kitchen towel. Stir dressing and add to cucumbers. Toss. Serve.
Source: adapted from “Vegetables Unleashed,” by Jose Andres and Matt Goulding (An Anthony Bourdain Book ECCO — Harper Collins, $39.99)