Cukes: A Cinderella Story

By Bonnie Fishman / San Francisco Bay Area

Cucumbers have traditionally been considered an innocuous vegetable, having a supporting role, if you will.  When added to a garden salad, they kind of lurk in the background, inoffensive, unlike a spicy radish or a smelly onion might. Do we even need to include them? I say a resounding YES! This plain Jane veggie deserves a higher status.

Consider making cucumber the star of your salad. Maybe even create a whole salad with just cucumbers and a delicious dressing. I often see it as a salad in the deli case or at a gourmet food shop. I never hesitate to order it for my salad medley. Another dish that features cucumbers is cold cucumber soup. It’s a delightful starter on a warm sunny day. I almost always have a cucumber or two in my fridge. I prefer the English ones with thinner skin (I don’t peel them) and very small seeds. Whenever I make a salad, I include them. They add a nice crunch and refreshing quality. If I use the garden variety, I peel the skin and scrape the seeds out using a teaspoon.

Another great use for cucumbers is in appetizers. I recommend using the garden or English variety because they are sturdy. I think their popularity is due to the fact that the cucumber round is a substitute for a cracker or bread rounds for those who avoid consuming flour.  The cucumber is the base, then it is smeared with dill cream cheese and topped with smoked salmon and garnished with a small dill sprig. Recently, I was at a dinner party that my friend Carol was hosting. She had another twist on the cucumber smoked salmon affair. She uses Persian cucumbers cut into 1/2” rounds, tops them with goat cheese, then salmon, and garnishes them with a small dill sprig. A different idea is to cut the cucumber into 1 1/2” rounds, scoop out the centers, and stuff them with egg salad or tuna salad.

Cucumbers have been domesticated for over 3,000 years, originating in India. Eventually, they were brought through the Middle East, on to Europe, and came to America with Christopher Columbus in the 15th century.  They were introduced to Native Americans when the Europeans arrived, like many fruits and vegetables.

There are three major varieties of cucumbers: pickling (often called Kirby with a stout, thick appearance and bumpy skin), slicing (the garden cuke that we commonly use in salads), and seedless (burpless), better known as the English or European cucumber.  Within these varieties, there are other variations such as Persian, lemon, and Asian.

Cucumbers are easy to cultivate. The only problem is that they sprawl on the ground when they grow, creeping through your whole garden. One way to solve the space issue is to grow them vertically on a trellis or post. I was able to witness this vertical growing method when my daughter Hanna and I went to Iceland 8 years ago. Since the ground is so rocky and the climate so harsh there, vegetables have to be grown in greenhouses year-round. They are massive structures filled with cucumbers, tomatoes, and peppers. The posts soar up to the three-story ceiling. It’s quite a sight!

Cucumbers grow vertically in hothouses in Iceland

Fortunately, cucumbers have very few calories because they are 95% water. Unfortunately, they don’t have many nutritional qualities other than fiber and a trace amount of vitamins and minerals. I don’t really care because I have been eating them daily for the past few weeks. My husband Bob grows large orange Kentucky Beefsteak tomatoes. I cut up one of them, add an equal amount of cubed cucumber. I mix in sliced fresh basil, feta cheese, and Kalamata olives. I drizzle the salad with a good quality olive oil, coarse sea salt, and fresh ground black pepper. There is nothing finer.

Tomato, cucumber, feta salad with olives and fresh basil

---

My recipe today is two-in-one: you get the wonderful dill dressing, which can also be used as a dip for any raw veggies. The pickled onions should be a staple in every fridge. I use them on burgers, sandwiches, or added to a mixed salad. They really liven things up.

P.S. There is no reason why you can’t use the pickling mixture with cucumbers. I would add fresh dill to the jar after everything is combined.

Arranged Cucumber Salad with Pickled Red Onions

Yield:  10 servings

Dill Sauce

1 c. low-fat plain Greek yogurt, (preferably not Fage, because it is too thick)

juice of 2 lemons

2 Tbs. olive oil

2 Tbs. water

1 Tbs. Dijon mustard

1/4 c. fresh chopped dill

1 garlic clove, finely minced

1 tsp. hot sauce

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. coarse black pepper

Making the Dill Sauce:

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients. If you prefer a thinner sauce, add a little more water. Cover and refrigerate. Allow to sit for at least an hour, preferably overnight.

Assembly:

Cut the cucumber in 1/4” slices.  Arrange them, spaced evenly, on a round platter. Carefully coat the center of the cucumbers, allowing the edges to show. Put the pickled onions in a small bowl to set in the ring of cucumbers. Garnish with dill sprigs if desired.

Pickled Red Onions

1 medium-large red onion

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. rice wine vinegar

1/2 c. water

1 jalapeño, sliced lengthwise

Peel and slice the onion in half lengthwise. Slice each half vertically into very thin slices.

Bring the sugar, vinegar, water, and jalapeño to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the onions, stirring to coat with pickling liquid. Cover; remove from the heat. Allow to sit until room temperature. Store in a clean jar, refrigerated, for up to one month.

Slice the cucumber into thin rounds. Try to keep them of equal thickness.

Slice the red onion lengthwise into thin pieces.

Bring the vinegar, sugar, and jalapeño to a boil.

Add the onions. Stir to coat.

Chop fresh dill.

Whisk together all of the dressing ingredients.

Arrange the cucumbers evenly in a circle. Spoon on the dressing and place the onions in a bowl in the center.

---

Bonnie Fishman attended the Cordon Bleu Cookery School in London. Later, she owned and operated Bonnie’s Patisserie in Southfield, Mich. and Bonnie’s Kitchen and Catering in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. She has taught cooking for over 35 years and created hundreds of recipes. She is now living in Northern California.