Tag Archives: cucumber recipes

Cold Cucumber and Buttermilk Soup

Cool and refreshing, this simple cold soup uses only four ingredients. Don’t let the simplicity deceive your perception of this recipe, the taste is delicious!  This is definitely one of my favorite soups to enjoy over and over again this summer. I use whatever cucumbers I have around and it’s especially a good way to use cucumbers that are a few days old and not at peak.

From by the bay, wishing you cool and refreshing food memories!

Maryann

 

Cold Cucumber and Buttermilk Soup

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 1 pound cucumbers, peeled, halved and seeded
  • 2 teaspoons jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 2 cups buttermilk ( whole if available)
  • 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
  • optional: diced cucumber to garnish and coarse sea salt such as Maldon

Directions

Coarsely chop the cucumbers. Place cucumber along with the remaining ingredients in a food processor. Blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Place in a container and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours before serving.  To serve, garnish with diced cucumber and a little coarse sea salt.

Entertaining: What’s Cooking this Weekend!

Enjoying another summer weekend,  I think I’ll wake up early and make a batch of my favorite Homemade Granola, perfect with some greek yogurt and all the seasonal berries.

After breakfast and a quick class at the gym it’s off to the farmstand, where I’m bound to find some of my favorite ingredients – sweet corn, kirby cucumbers and some juicy peaches.

I don’t plan to spend much time in the kitchen this weekend, but I will make some quick pickles using my recipe for Pickled Cucumbers with Dill and Lemon.

I’m keeping it simple this weekend, something quick on the grill – one of my favorite chicken recipes is Barbecue Chicken Breasts with Fresh Peach and Jalapeno Sauce

Corn of course is the perfect side dish – anyway you want to serve as long as you eat it the day it’s picked on the farm the freshness is the star of the show – so grill, boil, it’s so fresh you can eat it raw, but if you want to try a new corn side dish, you will want to try my recipe for Corn in a Cup!

Now for dessert, it’s an easy  Stone Fruit Crostata, using the rest of my peaches!  a recipe that is so forgiving and beyond delicious with it’s crispy and buttery crust.

From by the bay, make great friends and family food memories this weekend!

Maryann

Homemade Granola

Pickled Cucumbers with Dill and Lemon

Barbecue Chicken Breasts with Fresh Peach and Jalapeno Sauce

Corn in a Cup

Stone Fruit Crostata

Watermelon Cucumber Salsa

It’s not even summer yet and we are about to have our second heat wave starting Sunday! During the last mini heat wave I wanted to serve a  side dish that was cool and refreshing. It turns out that watermelon and cucumbers are a perfect pair.  I served this salsa along with grilled fish tacos, but this side is so versatile it complements most fish, pork and chicken.  Oh, and let’s not forget a perfect salsa for dipping a tortilla chip. It’s a must try recipe!

From by the bay, wishing you cool food memories!

Maryann

Watermelon Cucumber Salsa

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 2 cups finely diced seedless watermelon
  • 1 cup finely diced english cucumber
  • 3 tablespoons minced red onion
  • 1 tablespoon minced and seeded jalapeno pepper
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • zest of one lime
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground  black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped mint

Directions

In a medium size bowl combine the honey, lime juice salt and pepper. Mix well.  Add the remaining ingredients and toss gently. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 1 day.

 

 

 

 

Japanese Cucumber Salad

Maybe there is no finer vegetable than the simple cucumber. Not only does it taste delicious and refreshing  it has a multitude of health benefits to name a few :

Keeps you hydrated. …
Fights heat, both inside and out. …
Flushes out toxins. …
Lavishes you with vitamins. …
Supplies skin-friendly minerals: magnesium, potassium, silicon. …
Aids in weight loss. …
Revives the eyes. …

Now add to the list the fact that there are many simple preparations for making delicious and healthy salads all summer long. This recipe is based on a traditional Japanese cucumber salad. It uses very little oil but has lots of flavor, it’s a perfect summer side dish.

From by the bay wishing you very cool summer food memories!

Maryann

blog japanese cuke salad

Japanese Cucumber Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 Japanese or English cucumbers

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1 teaspoon agave nectar

1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1 teaspoon toasted sesame seed oil

1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

optional: garnish with chopped scallions

Directions

If Japanese cucumbers are not available, English cucumbers can be substituted. The English cucumbers should be peeled and  cut lengthwise. Scrape the seeds out using a spoon.  Slice into thin half moons. In a large bowl, combine cucumbers and salt and mix well. Let sit 20 minutes , squeeze cucumbers to remove water and strain. place back into bowl and add agave, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and sesame oil and mix well. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and mix. Let marinate for 20 minutes before serving. Adjust salt and pepper to taste before serving.

Grilled Lamb Kefta Kebobs with Tzakiki

If you are tired of making hamburgers on the grill, but looking for something as easy and delicious, try these grilled lamb kefta kebobs. It’s a hamburger on a skewer, flavored with cumin, fresh mint and crunchy pistashios. I like to serve it on a warm pita topped with some homemade tzakiki, mint and red onion. Simply delicious.

From by the bay, wishing you kefta kebob food memories!

Maryann

 

blog kefta

Grilled Lamb Kefta Kebobs

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds ground lamb

2 tablespoons ground pistachios

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground chili powder

1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Directions

Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. To make kebabs, take small amounts of kefta and shape them into cylinder or sausage shapes. Skewer the meat, squeezing it to mold it the skewer.Cook over hot coals, approximately five minutes each side. (It may take less or more time, depending on how hot the coals are, and how thick you shaped the kefta.) Watch the kebabs carefully, so you don’t dry out the kefta. Serve with Tzakiki ( recipe follows) and pita bread.

blog tzaiki

Tzakiki

Ingredients
1 English cucumber
1 tablespoon sea salt
2 cups greek style yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
fine sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Peel and thinly slice the english cucumber. Coarse chop and place into a bowl. Add the sea salt and mix. Let sit for about 1 hour. Strain the cucumbers and rinse. Shake off remaining water and place into a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.  Place in the refrigerator until ready to use. When serving drizzle with a little more olive oil. Serve on the side of roasted lamb or serve as an appetizer with pita bread.


Pickled Cucumbers with Dill and Lemon

 

My grandparents grew lots of cucumbers on their farm on Long Island. Come late summer my grandmother would make jars of pickles, using lots of the fresh dill from the farm.  I have to settle for buying my product at the farm stand today, but I don’t need to settle on the flavors I enjoyed from my grandmother. This is a really easy recipe for making pickled cucumbers , perfect for any weekend barbecue , as well as a  low calorie snack to enjoy anytime!  This is simply cutting a few things , boiling a few ingredients and you have pickled cucumbers to go! Impress your family and friends this weekend with this simple delicious side!

From by the bay wishing you pickled food memories!

Maryann

 

blog pickles

 

Pickled Cucumbers with Dill and Lemon

Makes 1 quart

Ingredients

  • 1 pound kirby cucumbers
  • 1 shallot
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 3 springs dill
  • 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 3 teaspoons fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

Directions

Have ready a 1 quart size glass container such as a mason jar. Trim the ends off of the kirby cucumbers and slice in 1/4 inch rounds. Peel and thinly slice the shallot. Peel and crush the garlic cloves. Take the glass jar and layer the cucumbers, then shallots , garlic and dill. Repeat until you have layered all your ingredients. Add the remaining ingredients into a saucepan and bring to simmer.  Remove from heat and pour over the cucumbers. Let cool to room temperature. Seal tightly and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving. The pickled cucumbers will last about 2 weeks stored in the refrigerator.

 

 

 

Cool Cucumber Salsa

In the height of summer, cucumbers abound. Here is a perfect summer side dish for those sultry summer nights. The cucumbers make a crisp, cool base for this salsa. It’s great to serve with fish, chicken or with some grilled vegetable kebabs.
From by the bay, wishing you cool food memories!
Maryann
blog cuke salsa

Cool Cucumber Salsa

Ingredients
2 English Cucumbers, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon fine granulated sugar
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lime, juice and zest
Directions
Mix all ingredients in a bowl and place in a refrigerator for at least two hours before serving.
Note: You can also use regular cucumbers, but remove the seeds before chopping. It’s easiest if after you peel the cucumber slice length wise in half , take a spoon and scoop out the seeds.You might want to add a little more sugar to taste, sometimes regular cucumbers are little more bitter.

Greek Mezes

 

blog greek mezes

As I shared in a previous post, my mother is of Greek heritage. So to add  to the Easter Menu, I’m sharing three mezes recipes . Two of the recipes feature fresh mint – one against the saltiness of feta cheese and the other against the coolness of cucumbers and rich yogurt.  I’m suggesting them along with the herb crusted leg of lamb from last week’s post but they are both wonderful dishes for summer entertaining which is just a few short weeks away. The third mezes is a red chili hummus, a warming and smooth companion to the cool mint mezes, this is a perfect year round recipe. All three recipes are the essence of greek cooking, fresh, simple and delicious. Say “Yasou” to Greek cooking!

From by the bay, wishing you “happy greek” food memories!
Maryann

blog feta dip

Feta and Mint Dip

Ingredients
1/2 cup fresh mint
1/2 cup fresh flat leaf parsley
4 ounces greek feta cheese
1/4 cup olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspsoon coarse fresh ground pepper

Directions
Plac all the ingredients into a food processor and blend well. Place in a bowl and chill for at least one hour . Serve with pita chips or crackers.

blog tzaiki

Tzakiki

Ingredients
1 English cucumber
1 tablespoon sea salt
2 cups greek style yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
fine sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Peel and thinly slice the english cucumber. Coarse chop and place into a bowl. Add the sea salt and mix. Let sit for about 1 hour. Strain the cucumbers and rinse. Shake off remaining water and place into a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.  Place in the refrigerator until ready to use. When serving drizzle with a little more olive oil. Serve on the side of roasted lamb or serve as an appetizer with pita bread.


blog hummus



Half Greek Hummus

Ingredients
15.5 ounce can Chick Peas or Garbanzo Beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons warm water
2 tablespoons tahini
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts
olive oil to garnish
sweet paprika to garnish

Directions
Combine all ingredients except the pine nuts and paprika into a food processor and process until smooth. Refrigerate in a covered container until ready to serve. Can serve cold or room temperature, Before serving drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with pine nuts and sweet paprika.

Blue No More Gazpacho

Last summer I had the opportunity to meet one of my favorite rock and roll artists. His music is what I play to dance my way through creating and preparing a meal. So of course, upon meeting him, I was tongue tied. With that,  I fell back to comfortable ground – food. Who knew that would be a topic he enjoyed discussing. Our conversation included a little comparison of recipes and his search for the perfect gazpacho recipe. He shared a few hints and with that I created this recipe. My version already has lots of rave reviews. Here’s hoping he will be blue no more looking for that gazpacho. I’ve added another cold soup recipe to get you through the summer, this one is a cold cucumber soup for the coolest guy I know!

From by the bay wishing you cool food memories!
Maryann
blog gazpacho
 

Blue No More Gazpacho

Serves 6

Ingredients

  • 1 28 ounce can whole fire roasted tomatoes ( if you can’t find fire roasted use canned whole plum tomatoes)
  • 1 large roasted red pepper , from a jar packed in olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, chopped
  • 1 jalapeno pepper , seeded and chopped
  • 1/2 white onion, coarsely chopped
  • 1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon coarse ground pepper

Directions

Place all the ingredients into food processor and process until pureed. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

blog salsa

Hint: to make a terrific and easy salsa, use the gazpacho recipe without the roasted red peppers!

blog cuke gaz

Cool Cucumber Gazpacho

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups plain greek yogurt
  • 2 medium size cucumbers, peeled, seeded and chopped
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 2 scallions, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons fresh dill
  • 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

Directions

Place all of the ingredients into a food processor and pulse until pureed. Place soup into a glass mason jar and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.

Cinco de Mayo Party

Celebrate this cinco de mayo with these easy recipes – guacamole, cool cucumber salsa and watermelon agua spike with silver tequila!
From by the bay wishing you happy cinco de mayo food memories!
Maryann
blog guacamole1
Guacamole
Serves 4
 
Ingredients 
3 Haas avocados, ripe
3 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 cup scallions, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt
Directions
In a medium bowl add the lime juice and sea salt , let the salt dissolve. Cut and remove flesh from avocado and place into bowl with lime juice /salt along with scallions and mash with fork. Add ingredients listed below depending on the version you are making and mix well. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
blog cuke salsa
Cool Cucumber Salsa
 
Ingredients
2 English Cucumbers, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon fine granulated sugar
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lime, juice and zest
Directions
Mix all ingredients in a bowl and place in a refrigerator for at least two hours before serving.
Note: You can also use regular cucumbers, but remove the seeds before chopping. It’s easiest if after you peel the cucumber slice length wise in half , take a spoon and scoop out the seeds.You might want to add a little more sugar to taste, sometimes regular cucumbers are little more bitter.
blog watermelon water
Watermelon Agua (Water) with Tequila
Serves 4
 Ingredients
3/4 pound watermelon, diced without the rind
4 cups water
2 tablespoons fine granulated sugar
juice of one lime
1/2 cup silver tequila
Directions
In a  food processor add the watermelon with 2 cups of water and puree. Strain into a bowl. Add the remaining 2 cups of water , sugar, tequila and lime juice. Mix Well. Place in a jar and refrigerate until cold before serving.