Chilled Cucumber Soup with Sheep's Milk Fromage Blanc

This is a delicious chilled soup. The mint works wonderfully with the cucumber and cheese.

One year ago: Gooey Ginger Chicken
Two years ago: Pear Couscous with Olives, Roasted Tomatoes and Feta

Chilled Cucumber Soup with Sheep's Milk Fromage Blanc (from The Cheesemonger's Kitchen)

Ingredients
910 g cucumbers, peeled and seeded
1/2 small red onion, chopped
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
225g sheep's milk fromage blanc
salt and pepper
smoked paprika for sprinkling

1. In a food processor, pulse the cucumbers, onion, and mint to a smooth puree.
2. Add fromage blanc and season with salt and pepper. Pulse to combine.
3. Transfer to a container, cover and chill for at least 30 minutes.
4. Divide into 4 chilled bowls and sprinkle with paprika.

Cucumber Cooler

I may have lost my bartender, but that doesn't mean that creative drinks no longer exist for me. This is a refreshing summery drink.

One year ago: Fig, Prosciutto, and Arugula Salad
Two years ago: Egg and Pancetta Stuffed Tomatoes

Cucumber Cooler (from Saveur's The New Comfort Food)

Ingredients
1 2" piece cucumber, thinly sliced crosswise
1/8 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1/4 cup crushed ice + more for later
1 1/2 ounce vodka
1/2 ounce simple syrup

1. In a cocktail shaker, combine cucumber slices, thyme, and crushed ice.
2. Using a muddler, crush ingredients until slushy.
3. Add more ice, vodka, and simple syrup. Cover and shake vigorously to combine.
4. Pour into glass and serve.

Raw Rhubarb, Cucumber, and Mint Salad

This salad is a change of pace from a normal salad routine. It's a bit tart and very refreshing. The author suggests serving it with olive oil poached salmon.

Raw Rhubarb, Cucumber, and Mint Salad (from The Slow Mediterranean Kitchen)

Ingredients
2 young rhubarb stalks
1 crisp medium cucumber, peeled
2 tbsp coarse salt
2 handfuls arugula
1 - 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup shredded mint leaves

1. Cut rhubarb and cucumber into very thin slices.
2. Toss rhubarb and cucumber with coarse salt and let stand 10 minutes. Rinse and drain.
3. In a salad bowl, toss rhubarb and cucumber with arugula. Drizzle on lemon juice, scatter mint leaves on top, and serve.

Jetalah Pineapple, Cucumber, and Chili Salad

This salad is something a little bit different. It's nice and refreshing and a good change of pace. This does require quite a bit of chopped, but it's well worth the effort.

Two years ago: Tex-Mex

Jetalah Pineapple, Cucumber, and Chili Salad (from Mighty Spice)

Ingredients
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
6 tbsp rice wine or apple cider vinegar
2 tsp sugar
1/2 pineapple, peeled
1/2 cucumber, halved lengthwise
1 large tomato, seeded and roughly chopped
1 red chili, finely sliced
1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
sea salt

1. Put onion, vinegar, and sugar in large mixing bowl. Season with salt, mix well, and set aside for 5 - 10 minutes.
2. Cut pineapple into quarters, remove and discard core, and cut flesh into thin slices.
3. Seed cucumber and thinly slice into half moon pieces.
4. Mix pineapple, cucumber, tomato, red chili, and black pepper with onion mixture. Serve.

Cucumber and Almond Salad with Arugula

This is a very flavourful salad that's perfect for the summer. The original recipe calls for Kirby cucumbers, but I had a 1kg English cucumber that needed to be put to good use. The original also calls for a garnish of chopped shiso leaves, but I decided to toss the salad with some baby arugula instead. I also followed the optional addition of grape tomatoes for my portion.

Cucumber and Almond Salad with Arugula(adapted from Cook This Now)

Ingredients
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
225g cucumbers, skinned and chopped
2 1/2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp lime juice
a few handfuls baby arugula
cherry or grape tomatoes
sea salt to taste

1. In small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, and lime juice.
2. Toss dressing with cucumbers, almonds, arugula, and tomatoes.
3. Sprinkle with salt and serve.

Seared Salmon with Brown Butter Cucumbers

I don't cook nearly enough seafood, but recipes like this remind me that I should. It's quick and easy and the brown butter cucumbers that it to the next level.

Seared Salmon with Brown Butter Cucumbers (from Cook This Now)

Ingredients
2 thick salmon fillets
kosher salt and black pepper
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 Kirby cucumbers, peeled and diced into 1/4" cubes
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tbsp chopped basil or mint
lime wedges for serving

1. Season salmon with salt and pepper.
2. In large skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter. Cook until foam subsides and butter turns deep gold in colour, 2 minutes.
3. Add salmon to pan, skin-side up. Cook without turning for 2 minutes.
4. Add cucumbers and a pinch of salt to pan around salmon. Stir to coat with butter. Cook until underside of fish is dark golden, 3 minutes.
5. Flip fish and add garlic to cucumbers. Stir. Cook fish until done, 2 - 4 minutes.
6. Stir basil into cucumbers in pan. Serve, spooning cucumbers and sauce over fish and squeezing a bit of lime on the fish.

Cucumber-Sesame Salad

So many cucumbers, so many cucumber salads. This one has a spicy kick to it though. I also upped the amount of red bell pepper garnish to give it more colour and more veggies.

One year ago: Baked Potato with Barbecued Beef
Two years ago: Cherry Tomato Pizza Margherita

Cucumber-Sesame Salad (from Seductions of Rice)

Ingredients
450g cucumbers
1 tbsp coarse salt
1 tsp grated ginger
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp roasted sesame oil
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 - 1 tsp dried chile pepper flakes
thin strips red bell pepper

1. Wash cucumbers. Trim off ends and cut lengthwise into quarters. Remove seeds. Cut quarters lengthwise into 3 or 4 slices and cut into 2" lengths. Place in colander, sprinkle on salt, and mix. Drain in sink for 20 minutes.
2. Rinse cucumber pieces with cold water, wrap in towel, and squeeze dry. Place in serving dish.
3. In small bowl, blend together ginger, vinegar, sesame oil, and sugar. Pour over cucumbers and toss to coat.
4. Sprinkle with chile flakes and add bell pepper.

Cucumber Salad with Smashed Garlic and Ginger

A simple and refreshing salad, although it does require some planning. The CSA box has decided that I need sunflower oil and it adds a nice flavour to the dish, but other oils would certainly work.

Cucumber Salad with Smashed Garlic and Ginger (from Plenty)

Ingredients
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
15g ginger, peeled and sliced
1 tsp sea salt
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
4 small cucumbers (600g), peeled
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
3 tbsp chopped coriander
Dressing
3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp sunflower oil
2 tsp toasted sesame oil

1. Whisk together dressing ingredients in medium bowl. Add sliced red onion, mix well, and marinate 1 hour.
2. Place ginger and salt in mortar and pound. Add garlic and continue pounding until it is well crushed and broken into pieces. Scrape contents into bowl with onion and stir together.
3. Cut cucumber lengthways in half, then cut each half on an angle into 5mm thick slices. Add cucumber to bowl, followed by sesame seeds and coriander. Stir well and let sit 10 minutes before serving.

Spicy Cucumber Salad

If you exclude the draining time, this recipe is ridiculously quick and easy. It's also surprisingly good. The cucumber absorbs a bit of the heat from the chiles and the numbing sensation from the peppers to cream a refreshing dish that's not overly spicy (as long as you don't eat the chiles).

Spicy Cucumber Salad (from Land of Plenty)

Ingredients
2 cucumbers
3 tsp salt
2 tbsp peanut oil
8 long dried chiles or 16 small Sichuanese chiles snipped into 1.5" sections
2 tsp whole Sichuan pepper
3 tsp sesame oil

1. Cut cucumber into 2.5" sections. Quarter lengthwise, scrape out seeds, and cut into batons. Sprinkle with salt, mix well, and set aside for at least 30 minutes, preferably 2 hours or more to draw out juices. Drain well and pat dry with towels.
2. Heat a work over high heat. Add peanut oil and swirl to coat. Reduce heat to medium. Add chiles and pepper. Stir for a few seconds until spicy. Don't burn!
3. Add cucumber pieces and stir and toss for about 10 seconds to coat with oil. Remove from heat, add sesame oil, and tip onto a serving dish. Let cool before serving.