Cucumbers 3 Ways

Cucumbers!!! Cucumbers are such a nostalgic vegetable for me. I remember my mom growing them when I was little and always having them in the house. To me a salad isn’t complete unless there are cucumbers in it. And a cucumber finger sandwich? White bread (crusts cut off), mayo and salt & pepper? HEAVEN.

Usually when you have a cucumber plant in your garden, what results is a plethera of cucs that can begin to overwhelm you. I mean, you can’t store them for any real length of time and how many pickles can one person make? So, I found 3 great alternatives that will add some serious deliciousness to any summer meal.

Creamy Cucumber Salad

Here’s What You Need:

• 3 pounds, peeled cucumbers

• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced (a shallot or green onions can be substituted for a more mild flavor)

• 18 oz sour cream or plain Greek Yogurt

• ¾ cup white vinegar

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 2 teaspoon fresh dill, chopped

• Salt & pepper to taste

1. Peel cucumbers. Then cut cucumbers in half length-wise and, using a small spoon, scrape out the seeds. This will reduced the amount of water released by the cucumber. Thinly slice the cucumber halves into half-moon shapes. Finely chop the red onion.

2. Add cucumbers and onion to a large bowl.

3. In another bowl, mix together sour cream, white vinegar, sugar, and chopped dill. Add salt and pepper to taste.

4. Pour the sour cream mixture over the cucumbers and onions. Mix to combine. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for a few hours before serving (at least 1 hour).

This dish can store in the refrigerator up to 3 days but is best served same day. Any excess liquid that accumulates can be drained off.

Panzanella

Here’s What You Need:

• 3 tablespoons good olive oil

• 1 small loaf French or sourdough, cut into 1-inch cubes (6 cups)

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 2 large, cut into 1-inch cubes

• 1 hothouse/English cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and sliced 1/2-inch thick

• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes

• 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes

• 1/2 red onion, cut in 1/2 and thinly sliced

• 20 large basil leaves, coarsely chopped

• 3 tablespoons capers, drained

For anyone new to the term, “panzanella” is Italian and basically means “why uses greens for a salad when you can use bread!” It is the most amazing dish - I mean who doesn’t want a BREAD SALAD?! I wish I could tell you I created this, or “made it my own” … but it is straight-up from Queen Ina Garten and needs no tweaking.

For the vinaigrette:

• 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic

• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• 3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar

• 1/2 cup good olive oil

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat the oil in a large saute pan. Add the bread and salt; cook over low to medium heat, tossing frequently, for 10 minutes, or until nicely browned. Add more oil as needed.

2. For the vinaigrette, whisk all the ingredients together.

3. In a large bowl, mix the tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, yellow pepper, red onion, basil, and capers. Add the bread cubes and toss with the vinaigrette. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Serve, or allow the salad to sit for about half an hour for the flavors to blend.

Cucumber Watermelon Salad

Here’s What You Need:

• 6-7 cups watermelon chopped

• 2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and chopped

• 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled

• juice from ½ of a lime

• 4 leaves of basil

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1/4 cup red onion

• salt

• balsamic glaze (to top)

Before you turn up your nose to this, I implore you to try it. The tastes of sweet, savory and salty are absolutely addictive.

Combine the watermelon, basil, red onion, and cucumber in a bowl. Mix in feta cheese, lime juice, salt and olive oil. Plate. Then, take your balsamic glaze and drizzle on top.