Cucumbers cool down hot foods and warm days. Their juicy crunch breaks through char, heat, and rich tastes, and it is a matter of seconds to toss in a salad. But a few tips will do for keeping them extra fresh.
With about 95% water, they hydrate most of the way. But this is also a downside: in many cases, they make dressings or sauces quite watery. Laying cucumbers in a sieve and adding a hefty pinch of salt will pull out some of their water, making them crunchier, sweeter, and, in a way, more flavorful.
Top cucumbers with ice to get rid of the water as they cool, making them perfect alongside hot halloumi and crispy croutons. Draining cucumbers also makes for the best texture when paired with shrimp. Smashed Cucumber, Avocado, and Shrimp Salad. Salted cucumbers are never breaking down the thick peanut sauce loaded with soy sauce and fresh garlic.
Slice cucumbers into strips so they don't end up turning soft, and they can take better to the spices. It is a good deal all around. Toss these strip cucumbers with vinegar, red onion, and dill; they resemble pickles and have the fresh feel of a salad. Recipe: Cucumber Salad. Strip the Persian cucumbers, and the salad could last two days in the fridge.
In Asia, the other end of the knife, or a rolling pin, is used to bash cucumbers into submission. It is fun and makes the cucumber absorb more dressing than an orderly, neat slice would do.
Take a look at their way of making cucumbersauce in China, using soy sauce, rice or black vinegar, garlic, and sesame oil on roughly chopped pieces. While smashing cucumbers, go ahead and smash some raw green beans too. Salt and drain them, and they'll be nice and crisp—not tough, glossy, or stringy. If they can mix sweet, sour, and tangy fruits, cucumbers are almost never distinguishable as one. Their slight flavor and crispness accentuate summer plums, cherries, peaches, and melons.
Adding cucumber to the classic watermelon-feta salad makes it even tastier. Cucumber, Melon, and Watermelon Salad. Sour pomegranate seeds mix well with small bits of cucumber. Soften strong tastes of peaches and a spicy sauce with cucumbers and mozzarella.
Tomatoes and cucumbers, a great summer pair, cool us down in dishes like Greek salad, Persian shirazi, or Indian kachumber. They work well together: tomatoes' sharp taste makes cucumbers better, and cucumbers ease the strong taste of tomatoes.
Pair the browned sides of pan-fried cucumbers, corn, and shrimp with big cuts of fresh tomato. | Recipe: Spicy Shrimp With Blistered Cucumbers, Corn, and Tomato. Olives, capers, and feta bring salty pops and more to a salad of fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, and bell peppers.
For a salad that's smooth and rich, not just crunchy, add something creamy. These hot oil-covered cucumbers may be too hot alone but are good when dipped in a green yogurt. Spicy Cucumbers With Yogurt, Lemon, and Herbs. Buttermilk, yogurt, and lemon blend in the sharp dressing that covers this salad. Creamy Cucumber Salad. When cucumbers meet avocados, you don't need much more.
When you add greens, pass on lettuce and go for a bolder mix, such as cucumbers, cranberries, and big cuts of dill. Try Roasted Salmon With Dill and Cucumber Salad. In this salad, ready for a cook-out, finely cut parsley mixes into the dressing, so it doesn't wilt.
Make a salad like sabzi khordan, the big dish of fresh herbs, radishes, walnuts, and feta that shows up at many Persian meals.