Recipe & Pic From Martha Stewart
Try this refreshing salad with grilled meats or veggies for an end-of-summer treat!
1 cantaloupe, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon, and freshly ground pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil
Fresh mint leaves, for serving
Arrange melons and cucumber on a platter; season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with oil. Just before serving, sprinkle with mint.
Recipe & Pic from Jo Cooks
Another hot-weather entrée salad that will help keep you cool this week!
Chicken
2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoon pepper or to taste
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4 cup lemon juice from about 2 lemons
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic minced
1 pound chicken breasts boneless and skinless
1 large onion sliced
Tabbouleh Salad
2 cups water
1 cup bulgur wheat uncooked
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice (from 1 or 2 lemons, depends on size)
3 cups tomatoes chopped small
1 cucumber chopped small
1/4 cup green onions chopped (use your Tropea onions!)
2 cups fresh parsley chopped
1/4 cup fresh mint chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon pepper or to taste
Other Optional Ingredients
1/4 cup feta cheese crumbled
1/2 cup Kalamata olives
pita bread
hummus
1 avocado sliced
In a 8×8 baking dish add the smoked paprika, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, pepper, salt, lemon juice, olive oil, red pepper flakes, garlic, and whisk well. Add the chicken, sliced onion and toss making sure the chicken is well coated in the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for at least an hour. The longer the meat marinates the more flavor you’ll have.
Preheat the oven to 425 F degrees.
Bake uncovered until the chicken is browned and crisp on the edges, and cooked through. It should take about 40 to 45 minutes. If you want the chicken crispier on top, turn the broiler on to high and broil for 3 minutes until nice and crispy on the outside.
Let the chicken rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.
Tabbouleh Salad
While the chicken is baking, prepare the tabbouleh salad. Add the water to a small pot and bring to boil. When the water is boiling add the bulgur and cover. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. Stir occasionally. Let the bulgur cool before adding to the salad.
Add the bulgur to a large bowl, then add the remaining ingredients. Toss well.
To assemble the salad, spread the tabbouleh salad over the bottom of a large shallow plate. Arrange with sliced chicken, sliced avocado, Kalamata olives and sprinkle some feta cheese over the top. Serve with hummus and pita bread.
Recipe & Pic from Love & Lemons
Entrée salads are perfect for hot days- so fresh, so filling! This French Classic is also a great way to use up many of the veggies in your box this week at once!
8 ounces small yellow or red potatoes
4 ounces fresh green beans, trimmed
¾ cooked white beans, drained and rinsed
3 hard boiled eggs, halved
4 artichoke hearts, drained and halved
1 cup quartered radishes and/or sliced cucumber
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
½ cup Niçoise or Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
2 tablespoons capers, drained
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon
Freshly ground black pepper
Lemon Vinaigrette
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 small garlic clove, grated
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon sea salt, more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon honey or maple syrup, optional
1/4 to 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon fresh or dried thyme, optional
Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by about 1 inch. Stir in 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until fork-tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and when cool enough to handle, slice in half or quarters.
Refill the pot with water, bring it to a boil, and set a bowl of ice water nearby. Drop the green beans into the boiling water and blanch for 2 minutes. Drain and immediately immerse in the ice water. After 1 minute, drain and place on a kitchen towel to dry.
Assemble salad with the potatoes, green beans, white beans, eggs, artichokes, radishes, tomatoes, olives, and capers. Drizzle generously with the lemon vinaigrette. Sprinkle with parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Recipe & Pic from Fed & Fit
You'll have to boil water to quickly blanche the chard, but that's the only heat involved in these cooling summer wraps! You can replace the shrimp with tofu or any other meat that you prefer.
1 bunch Swiss chard about 8 leaves
1 pound medium-sized cooked shrimp
3 carrots peeled and cut into matchstick pieces
1/2 cucumber cut into matchstick pieces
1/4 red cabbage finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves and stems
For the peanut sauce::
1/2 cup smooth peanut or almond butter
1/2 cup coconut aminos
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon fish sauce
1/4 teaspoon black and white sesame seeds for garnish (optional)
Blanche chard for 5 min in boiling water then submerge in an ice bath and dry.
Whisk all ingredients for peanut sauce together until smooth and garnish with sesame seeds.
To assemble, cut the larger chard leaves in half cross-wise and leave the smaller leaves as-is. place an even amount of carrots, cucumbers, cabbage, and cilantro on each leaf. Add three to four shrimp on top and carefully roll each leaf up, securing with a toothpick if needed. Serve with the peanut dipping sauce and enjoy!
Recipe & Pic from Onolicious Hawaii
A wonderful way to quickly pickle cucumbers without having to stand over a pot of hot brine! Throw some poke or seasoned chilled shrimp over a bowl of rice and garnish with these pickles and you'll have a filling and heat-wave-ready meal!
1 large cucumber
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar
¼ cup rice vinegar
Thinly slice the cucumber and place in a mixing bowl.
Sprinkle salt on the cucumbers, toss. Let sit for 10 minutes. Drain the water.
In a small bowl, dissolve the sugar in the rice vinegar. Pour over the salted cucumbers.
Cover and let sit in the fridge for at least 1 hour. Ready to eat!
Image from Love & Lemons
2 Persian cucumbers
3 cups cherry tomatoes
6 to 8 ounces halloumi cheese
Extra-virgin olive oil
Scant ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
Homemade Croutons (grilled option), from 2 large slices of bread
⅓ cup fresh basil
Flaky sea salt, optional
Thinly slice the cucumbers, halve the tomatoes, and set aside.
Slice the halloumi into ½-inch thick planks. Rub both sides with olive oil and grill 2 to 3 minutes per side, until well-charred. Remove from the grill and slice the planks into cubes.
Assemble the salad with the sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, halloumi, red onions, and croutons. Drizzle with the dressing and top with fresh basil. Season to taste with flaky sea salt, if desired.
adapted from A Simple Pantry
For The Dressing
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon fresh basil chopped
kosher salt to taste
cracked pepper to taste
For The Salad
1 cup dried pearl couscous
1 cucumber sliced thin
4 cups lettuce
1 cup feta
In a small jar add the dressing ingredients, cover with a tight lid and shake vigorously. Adjust seasonings as desired and set aside.
Prepare couscous according to package instructions. While still warm, add 1/2-3/4 of the dressing and toss gently to coat.
Add the cucumbers, arugula, and feta to a large bowl and toss with the remaining dressing. Stir in the couscous, then divide between 6 plates and serve immediately.
adapted from Serious Eats
From Food 52: "This is the rescue recipe for all you with a weekly source of vegetables from your CSA. The kohlrabi is nice and crunchy the first few hours then pickles in the days to come."
Dressing
3 tablespoons Rice Vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Honey
1 tablespoon Finely minced shallots
Salt to taste
Slaw
1 Medium Kohlrabi (about softball size) Julienned
2 Cucumbers whatever adds up to 2 cups
2 cups Swiss Chard about 8 stems
Combine the dressing ingredients into a lidded jar and shake, shake, shake.
Dice the chard stems and roll the leaves and cut into thin ribbons. In a medium sized bowl, combine all the ingredients and start with about 2 T of the dressing add more to taste.
Recipe & Pic from The Woks Of Life
This is my FAVORITE cucumber recipe (and it is oh so cathartic to give those cukes a smashing haha). I love it paired with a California Roll Rice Bowl: Sushi Rice, Imitation Crab tossed with Sriracha Mayo and sliced Green Onions, sliced Avocado, and a sprinkle of panko for extra crunch.
~Rae
1-2 seedless cucumbers
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
3 teaspoons light soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2-4 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
1-2 teaspoons chili oil (optional)
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
a small handful of chopped cilantro
Note: if you prefer to omit the chili oil, heat up a tablespoon of oil in a pan and drizzle it over the cucumber. Seems weird, but in Chinese cooking, uncooked vs. cooked oil have different flavors and are treated as such!
Wash the cucumbers and pat them dry with a clean towel. Make the salad dressing by combining the salt, sugar, sesame oil, light soy sauce, and rice vinegar. Stir until the sugar and salt are completely dissolved. Set aside.
On a cutting board, lay a large knife flat against the cucumber, and smash it lightly with your other hand. The cucumber should crack open and smash into four sections. Repeat along its full length. Once the whole cucumber is completely open (usually into 4 long sectional pieces), cut it at a 45-degree angle into bite-sized pieces.
In a large bowl, mix the cut cucumber with the prepared dressing, garlic and chili oil (or cooked plain oil), and toss it well. Serve, garnished with sesame seeds and cilantro.
adapted from Serious Eats
Garlic Oil
1 cup pure olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons garlic, finely chopped
1 pound pita bread
1 teaspoon salt
Garlic Vinaigrette
2 teaspoons garlic paste
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup pure olive oil
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Vegetables
1-2 cups tomatoes, diced
1 cup cucumbers, peeled and cut into small dice
2 cups lettuce, chopped
2/3 cup mint, torn (optional)
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
1/4 cup sweet onion, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Make the garlic oil: Heat the oil, remove from the heat, and add the garlic. Let steep for several hours.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Split the pita in half. Brush one side of each half with the garlic oil. Sprinkle with salt. Cut each half into eighths and spread (oil side up) on a sheet pan. Place in the oven and bake until golden and crispy. Reserve.
Make the vinaigrette: Combine the garlic paste, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, then whisk in the olive oils.
Combine all of the vegetables and toss with half the vinaigrette; salt and pepper to taste.
Combine the pita, vegetables, and more vinaigrette. Toss. Add more vinaigrette if the fattoush looks dry.
from Bon Appetite
1 large cucumber
Kosher salt
1 pound green beans, trimmed (use your haricots verts!)
1 1½-inch piece ginger, peeled, finely grated
1 serrano or Fresno chile, finely grated
1 garlic clove, finely grated
⅓ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
¼ cup white miso
¼ cup olive oil
½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallions (for serving) - use your tropea onions!
Lightly smash cucumber with a rolling pin, then tear into bite-size pieces. Toss with a pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Let sit to allow salt to penetrate.
Meanwhile, place green beans in a large resealable plastic bag, seal, and smash with rolling pin until most of the beans are split open and bruised. Whisk ginger, chile, garlic, vinegar, miso, olive oil, and sesame oil in a medium bowl until smooth. Add dressing to beans and toss around in bag to coat; season with salt.
Drain cucumbers and add to bag with beans. Shake gently to combine. Transfer salad to a platter and top with sesame seeds and scallions.
Adapted From Cookie & Kate
This creamy and refreshing sauce has so many uses! Try cutting beets into wedges, roasting, and serving with their own sautéed greens and a hearty dollop of Tzatziki!
1 cup grated cucumber (no need to peel or seed the cucumber first, grate on the large holes of your box grater)
1 ½ cups plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 medium clove garlic, pressed or minced
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Working with one big handful at a time, lightly squeeze the grated cucumber between your palms over the sink to remove excess moisture. Transfer the squeezed cucumber to a serving bowl, and repeat with the remaining cucumber.
Add the yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and salt to the bowl, and stir to blend. Let the mixture rest for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Taste and add additional chopped fresh herbs, lemon juice, and/or salt, if necessary (I thought this batch was just right as-is).
Serve tzatziki immediately or chill for later. Leftover tzatziki keeps well, chilled, for about 4 days.
From NYT Cooking
¼ cup raw sticky rice (see Note) or 2 tablespoons roasted rice powder (available at Asian markets)
16 ounces coarsely ground or finely chopped white- or dark-meat chicken (lean beef, such as sirloin, OR tofu can be substituted)
½ teaspoon hot chile powder, preferably Thai or Lao
4 teaspoons fish sauce (nam pla)
5 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice
¼ cup slivered red onions
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons sliced scallions
10 whole mint leaves, more for serving
Lettuce leaves
cucumber spears, for serving
4 cups cooked sticky or jasmine rice, for serving (or serve in Butter Lettuce cups!)
To make roasted rice powder, heat a wok or skillet over high heat. Add raw rice and cook, stirring often, until rice is toasted and dark brown, but not black, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from wok and set aside to cool. Grind to a coarse powder in a mortar, blender or coffee grinder; set aside.
To cook chicken, heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat. When very hot, add 2 tablespoons water, then add chicken, stirring constantly to break up any lumps. Cook just until cooked through, about two minutes, then transfer to mixing bowl. While chicken is just warm, add remaining ingredients (except for garnishes) and roasted rice powder. Mix gently but thoroughly. Taste and adjust seasonings. Mixture should be tangy, salty and lightly spicy.
Spoon onto serving plate and surround with mint, lettuce and cucumber. Serve with rice. If serving with sticky rice, pinch some off, mold into a small ball and dip into larb, scooping up a little of each ingredient. Or scoop larb into lettuce leaves.