Tag Archives: cucumber

SALMON BOWL WITH BROWN RICE AND MANGO

Posted in Air-Frying, Rice and Grains, Seafood by

This goes into our rotation for sure! The recipe for the salmon has been in my blog for a while and it is indeed something I cook often. But today I share one awesome way to enjoy it. Do not omit the mango pieces, and I actually strongly advise you to get frozen fruit. I am so tired of buying fresh mangoes just to be disappointed at the texture or taste. As long as you are careful about how you de-frost it, it will work perfectly (see the comments).

SALMON BOWL WITH BROWN RICE AND MANGO
(from The Bewitching Kitchen)

1 recipe for salmon bites (click here)
1 + 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
avocado slices
cucumber slices, salted and rinsed
fresh mango pieces
1/8 cup olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Prepare a quick dressing with the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Amounts are flexible. You want enough to coat the fruit and veggies.

Place the cooked brown rice, still warm, in the center of a serving bowl, using a small bowl to shape it. Add the fruit and veggies around, drizzling the dressing all over them, and arrange the salmon pieces together as shown in the picture.

Serve right away.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: To use frozen mango, remove the amount you need from the package and lay over a paper towel to defrost. Do it about 30 minutes before your meal. By the time you plate it, it will be close to room temperature, still a bit cold in the center, but the texture won’t suffer. This was a delicious meal, very easy to put together, I highly recommend you give it a try. If you don’t have an air-frier, you can grill the salmon or roast it in the oven.

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TWO INCREDIBLY SIMPLE RECIPES

Posted in Incredibly simple, Salads, Side dishes, Veggies by

The first one is truly simple because you actually make the potatoes a day or two before, but the recipe itself qualified to be in this folder when I first published it in 2023. Check it out here. I always make one or two extra potatoes so that I have leftovers. Because, how could you resist these?

Simply grab the leftover roasted potatoes from the fridge, and cut in slices that should not be too thin, not overly thick, as they will warm up exclusively on the skillet. Add olive oil to the pan, once it is really hot, add the slices and brown them on both sides. Add a little more salt to serve. They will be super creamy inside and get that superb crust all over. Addictive, I tell you.

The second one was featured recently in the New York Times with a lot of praise by the readers. It seemed a bit odd, very few ingredients, kind of monochromatic. But we were both quite impressed by the flavor and texture. I share with you my version, which is slightly modified from the original one. A bit of olive oil and dill were brought to play.

CUCUMBER-AVOCADO SALAD
(modified from The New York Times)

1 large English cucumber
Kosher salt
2 very ripe avocados
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
drizzle of olive oil
fresh or dried dill to taste
red pepper flakes for serving, to taste

Peel the cucumbers in alternating strips and trim ends. Halve lengthwise and slice thin. Transfer to a colander and sprinkle 1 to 2 tsp kosher salt all over the slices. Set aside for 15 minutes.

Halve the avocados and remove the pits. Using a spoon, remove the flesh from the skins, then cut the flesh into ½-inch cubes. Transfer to a large bowl, add the lemon juice and season with salt. Stir to combine.

Shake the cucumbers in the colander to get rid of any excess moisture, rinse briefly then transfer to the bowl with the avocado. Drizze olive oil, and add dill. Mix well but gently, the avocado should start getting creamy and cover all the slices of cucumber. That is a good thing. Serve with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, if so desired.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

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CHINESE TIGER SALAD

Posted in Salads by

No, I have no idea why it is called Tiger Salad, but I can tell you it is delicious and you should make it… It is yet another recipe from Josette’s blog, and you can read her thoughts about it clicking here.

CHINESE TIGER SALAD WITH CORN AND AVOCADO
(slightly modified from thebrookcook)

2 T sesame seeds, I used black
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
3 T canola oil
2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp oil from a jar of chili crisp
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
2 tsp unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tsp kosher salt
3 large ears of corn, husked, slightly rubbed with canola oil
2 avocados, cut into large pieces
1 English hothouse cucumber, seeds removed, halves sliced crosswise
1/2 bunch cilantro, coarsely chopped
2 T crumbled queso fresco or Cotija cheese, plus more for garnish


To Make the Dressing: toast the sesame seeds slightly in a dry small skillet over medium heat; transfer to a large shallow bowl. Add lime juice, oil, soy sauce, chili crisp oil, toasted sesame oil, unseasoned rice vinegar, and salt and stir vigorously until salt is dissolved. Set dressing aside.


To Make the Salad: air-fry or grill the corn and remove the kernels from the cobs, placing them in a large bowl. Add avocado, cucumber, and half of the cilantro. Add reserved dressing and toss gently to combine. Taste salad and season with more salt if needed. Top with the cheese, remaining cilantro and more black sesame seeds if you like.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This is quite a satisfying salad thanks to the corn, and very flavorful with all the lime juice, the sesame oil and of course the heat of the chili crisp oil. I took a picture without the cheese, as Phil prefers to skip it, so I added only to my plate. I’ve made the salad again using feta and it also goes super well with all other ingredients. It is an interesting recipe, a marriage of Chinese and Mexican cuisines. It also keeps well, leftovers were great next day, even the avocado was still fine.

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SHRIMP AND CUCUMBER STIR-FRY

Posted in Seafood by

If you have only enjoyed cucumber in salads and cold preparations, don’t twist your nose and click away from this post. Give the poor cucumber a chance to shine in a slightly different way. This version was inspired by a recipe from Irene Kuo in “The Key to Chinese Cooking”, published in 1977. It is a huge compilation of recipes, but there are no photos. Back in those days, cookbooks for the most part had very few if any pictures. If that does not bother you, I highly recommend you buy it (click here for ordering info).

SHRIMP AND CUCUMBER STIR-FRY
(inspired by The Key to Chinese Cooking)

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and de-veined
2 quarts water + 1/4 cup salt + 1/4 cup sugar, fully dissolved
1 large or 2 small cucumbers
shiitake mushrooms, cleaned, stems removed
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons peanut or other vegetable oil
drizzle of sesame oil
fresh cilantro

Brine the shrimp by covering it with the salt-sugar water for 30 minutes. Drain, rinse briefly, set on paper towels to dry.

Cut the ends of the cucumber, peel it leaving some peel to form a stripped pattern. Slice in half lengthwise, remove seeds, and slice each half in pieces, not too thin, around 1/4 inch thick. Reserve.

Make the sauce combining soy, sherry, salt, and sugar. Reserve.

Heat the oil in a wok or large non-stick frying pan. Add the mushrooms, season lightly with salt, sauce for a couple of minutes, then add the cucumbers and saute everything together for a couple of minutes more. Transfer to a bowl. If needed, add a little more oil to the pan, when very hot add the brined shrimp, cook until they turn pink. Add the prepared sauce, coat well the pieces of shrimp with it, add the reserved mushroom-cucumber mixture. The shrimp should be fully cooked by now, pour the 1/4 cup water in, then the dissolved cornstarch, and cook on high heat until the sauce thickens. Add a drizzle of sesame oil, the fresh cilantro, and serve over white rice.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: We will definitely be adding cucumber to stir-fries with other proteins, like chicken and beef. It adds a refreshing note, and the texture is perfect. I see chicken, cucumber and mint in our future. If you need a quick and flavorful option for a weeknight dinner, try this stir-fry and you won’t be disappointed!

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TWO DELICIOUSLY REFRESHING CUCUMBER SALADS

Posted in Salads, Vegetarian-friendly by

Cucumber might be one of the most under-appreciated veggies, at least in our kitchen. I love raita, but rarely make it. At the grocery store, I grab every single veggie before inviting a cucumber into my shopping bag. But in the past couple of weeks I’ve been on a cucumber obsession, so today I share two recipes that will be part of our regular rotation from now on.

CUCUMBER & CRISPY CHICKPEAS WITH AVOCADO DRESSING


CUCUMBER AND CHICKPEA SALAD WITH AVOCADO DRESSING
(adapted from Minimalist Baker)

for crispy chickpeas:
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 tsp paprika
salt and pepper to taste
spray of olive oil if using air-fryer, 1 tablespoon olive oil if baking

for salad:
2 large cucumbers, peeled in strips, seeds removed, sliced thin
1 avocado, mashed
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp white balsamic vinegar
squirt of lemon juice
1/4 tsp each sea salt and black pepper
1/4 cup freshly chopped mint
1/4 cup freshly chopped dill

Make crispy chickpeas. Best way is with air-fryer. Spray with olive oil, season with paprika, salt and pepper, and cook for about 15 minutes in the highest temperature your fryer allows. Reserve.

When ready to make the salad, mash the avocado in a large bowl, squirt some lemon juice oven, then the olive oil, balsamic and the herbs. Season with salt. Mash it all well together. Add the slices of cucumber, toss with the creamy avocado dressing. Add the crispy chickpeas and serve.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here


This salad took Phil and I into a state of awe. I have a great friend who always says that food bloggers tend to use too many superlatives to describe their food, and I agree that can be annoying. But please allow me to say, this is an outstanding little salad, in which every ingredient works perfectly. Creamy, refreshing, hearty, we had zero leftovers. A moment of silence for my lunch next day, in which this salad was just a memory.

Moving on to version #2…

CUCUMBER & SHAVED CARROT SALAD WITH YOGURT-DILL DRESSING


CUCUMBER AND SHAVED CARROT SALAD WITH YOGURT-DILL DRESSING
(from The Bewitching Kitchen)

2 cucumbers, peeled in strips, seeds removed, sliced very thin
1 tablespoon salt
1 large carrot, shaved in a box grater
1/2 cup full-fat yogurt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tsp agave nectar
fresh dill to taste, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Place the slices of cucumber in a colander, add the salt and let it sit for 30 minutes. Lighty rinse the slices, and dry them on a paper towel.

Make the dressing by mixing yogurt, olive oil, vinegar, agave nectar, dill and spices. Whisk well. Add the dressing to the slices of cucumber, incorporate the grated carrot. Leave the salad in the fridge for about 20 minutes before serving.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I took two different approaches to the cucumber. In the first recipe I used them straight after slicing, whereas I salted them in the second version. As expected, in the salted version the cucumber had a slightly more tender texture. We loved them both ways, so if you are in a hurry, skip the salting in version #2, as it won’t compromise the outcome.

Both salads ended up as the star in our dinner, I highly recommend you consider increasing your consumption of cucumber, if you are also part of the team that keeps forgetting all about them…


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