TWELVE : CUCUMBER SALAD WITH SMASHED GARLIC & GINGER

PLENTY

AUGUST 7 2012

TWELVE : CUCUMBER SALAD WITH SMASHED GARLIC & GINGER

I've had to be pretty darn creative this year to keep up with all the cucumbers bursting out of the garden. Other than simply tossing in a salad or dipping into hummus, I've snuck lemon cucumber into a fruit salad and have an ongoing fridge pickle laced with mustard seed and sliced onion. Then there's the jar of Bubbies pickle brine that I started filling with my own little pickling cucs and my first attempt at homemade kimchi featuring paper thin slices of the larger Sultan cucs and radish. Next I'm thinking some kind of chutney and I can't wait for my tomatoes to catch up so we can keep cool on hot days with fresh gazpacho.

But I'm running out of fresh ideas, so was excited to try Mr. O's cucumber salad. Turns out it is a stellar example of cucumber awesomeness. Crisp and refreshing with a lovely ginger kick. I was concerned the raw ginger and garlic would be overpowering, but it turned out to be very well balanced with the crunchy, mild cucumbers and sesame oil dressing.

ginger and salt... about to get smashed

all smashed up

I've never even considered used my mortar and pestle for anything more than crushing whole spices, so this was a revelation. As darkness fell and the neglected chicken drumsticks charred to a disconcerting blackness, I carefully smashed ginger, salt and garlic (in batches because my mortar is rather pint-sized) to a rough paste and peeled and sliced the tender cucs.

dinner = grilled zucchini, chicken drumsticks w/ cucumber kimchi and cucumber salad. yum!

Luckily blackened drumsticks are still delicious!