Smacked (Smashed) Cucumber Salad

Spicy chili crisp livens up this classic Chinese side (or first course)

Cukes! Is there a better veggie for beating summer’s heat?

For a quick pickled version, try them in this Sichuan dish. It combines cudgeled cukes with tangy extras. It’s terrific with Chinese food, of course. But it works just as well with traditional cookout fare. So skip the coleslaw and serve this as a side with pulled pork or barbecued ribs. Or hamburgers and hot dogs.

Smashing good stuff. 

Moroccan-Spiced Cucumber and Chickpea Salad

Healthy Mediterranean flavors power this summertime main or side

When the heat is on, we like to eat cool. Enter the main-course salad.

This Mediterranean dish has a base of crunchy cucumbers and toothsome chickpeas. Then we spice it up with Moroccan-themed flavors.

We had planned to visit Morocco in person later this year. Looks like that won’t be happening, so we’ll have to travel virtually – with the assistance of our recipe collection.

Our imaginations will visit the sights. But our taste buds will get the real deal.

Mexican Cucumber, Tomato, and Bean Salad

Serve this vegan delight as a starter or a main

The weather is warming up in our part of the world. So? Salad days! 

This classic combo of cucumbers and tomatoes is one of our faves. We’ve added black beans and sweet corn, then infused the vinaigrette with lime, cumin, and coriander.

The result? A terrific Mexican-themed salad. You can serve this as a first course, but we prefer to make it a main. Add some crusty bread or tortillas, and you’ll be happy chompers.

Tzatziki Dip, Sauce, and Dressing

Tangy and garlicky, this versatile Greek cucumber-yogurt dish is easy to make

Looking for the perfect summer dish? Tzatziki is here!

It’s quick to prepare (no cooking!) and endlessly versatile. You can serve it as a dip, but it also makes a dandy sauce (it’s particularly nice with chicken or fish). Or use it as dressing for salad. You can even thin it out and serve it as soup.

We’ll drink to that. Make ours an ouzo.

Peach and Chipotle Gazpacho

This zesty, refreshing vegan starter tames summer heat

The dog days of summer are here in our part of the world. So let’s cool off with gazpacho, shall we?

This peachy version combines sweet summer fruit with savory cukes and bell peppers, then lets them romp in chipotle fire.

Make this soup ahead of time and pop it into the fridge. Then – chill out!

Cucumber and Smoked-Salmon Salad with Feta

Serve this tangy dish as starter or main

Cucumbers and smoked salmon, tossed with creamy feta cheese dressing. What’s not to like? Especially when you add green peas for color and radishes for perk.

Serve this dish of scrumptiousness as a starter. Or spoon up extra-large portions for a light main course.

This salad is quick to make, so it’s ideal for weeknight dinner. But it’s also fancy enough to serve at your next dinner party.

Like maybe your Mother’s Day celebration this weekend?

Chilled Beet and Cucumber Soup

Beet the heat with this refreshing starter

Some dishes are better than others. But this soup is one of the best things we’ve made in years.

Who knew that the humble beet could be so dramatic?

This chilled soup makes a perfect first course for a summer dinner party.  Its delicious color (and flavor!) will have your guests demanding seconds.

So make extra.

Tomato, Cucumber, and White Bean Salad

This summer-fresh vegan delight works as a main or side

Local tomatoes and cucumbers are at their seasonal peak right now in our part of the world. So we take every opportunity to enjoy them, often tossing with oil and vinegar to make a simple, quick salad.

But sometimes we want a heartier dish. So we add white beans to the mix—turning a simple salad into a great picnic side dish, one that can also stand alone as a meatless main.

It’s easy, healthy, and bursting with fresh flavor. Not to mention vegan and gluten-free, so everyone can enjoy it. That’s summer at its best.

Chilled Cucumber Soup with Yogurt and Dill

Beat the heat with this tangy starter

It’s cucumber season in our part of the world. We can’t seem to harvest them fast enough in our backyard garden. And every farmers’ market is overflowing with them.

So how about turning some of those cukes into a cool, refreshing first course? One that’s brimming with flavor, but not too heavy.

Chilled Cucumber Soup is the perfect summer starter. It’s also a versatile performer—you can change up ingredients to give it a different character every time you make it (more about this in the Notes). Best of all, it takes just minutes to prepare in the food processor.

You can make it ahead of time too. In fact, the flavor improves if you allow it to rest in the refrigerator for a few hours, or even overnight. So whip up this soup—and then head to the hammock for a summertime siesta. Because, hey, soup isn’t the only thing that improves with rest.

Sautéed Cucumbers

This easy, dill-enhanced side dish captures the taste of summer

Cucumbers are available year-round in the supermarket, but they come into their glory during the hot summer months.  That’s when we can get them fresh from our backyard gardens or farmers’ markets.  So here in the US, that means we’ll soon be seeing the best-tasting cukes of the year.

Most of us don’t give much thought to how we prepare cucumbers.  We tend to slice them and serve them raw, or toss them in a salad.  Sometimes we pickle them.  But cooking them?  Not so much.

Well, let me introduce sautéed cucumbers.  Cooking brings out flavor nuances that you might miss when eating cukes raw.  Combine with dill, and you have a dish that screams summer. It also pairs exceptionally well with some of our favorite summer treats — like grilled or poached fresh, wild salmon. And it’s a dish that takes only minutes to make!

Easy, seasonal, flavorful.  What’s not to like?

Hungarian Cucumber Salad

Fresh Dill Adds Flavor Magic

Throughout much of the US, local cucumbers are plentiful and inexpensive in our markets.  And if you’re growing them in your garden, you may be looking for new ways to use them.

This simple cucumber salad has a cool, refreshing flavor that mates well with grilled and barbecued meats, fish, and poultry — all the staples of the summer table.  But it also works with hearty stews and casseroles, so you can keep serving it when the weather turns cooler.  It makes a tangy side dish, but it has enough eye- and taste-appeal that you can serve it as a first course.  And because the dressing contains no oil, each serving has very few calories — so eat as much as you like! 

It’s inexpensive, healthy, and takes just minutes to prepare.  Best of all, the flavor improves if you make it a few hours ahead of time.  Perfect. 

Quick & Easy Gazpacho

This Cool & Refreshing Vegan Favorite Delivers Big Flavor

Late summer brings stifling heat, but it’s also a time when many vegetables are at their peak.  In August, tomatoes, bell peppers, and cucumbers all enter their prime.

Combine them with garlic, onion, olive oil, and wine vinegar and you have gazpacho — the liquid salad that doubles as a soup.  Its crisp coolness and rich, satisfying flavor is a great way to beat the heat.

Best of all, this Spanish classic can be served either as a first course or as a light luncheon or supper entrée.