Tag: cucumber and honeydew salad

Food, Recipes, Buying & Growing Your Own

Cool as a cucumber

Suzanne Hollifield-Eller

I recently visited downtown Hickory’s Farmer’s Market. Although I made several purchases, I went to the market specifically for local tomatoes and cucumbers. It seems like I wait all year for these two locally grown favorites. They just taste better than the trucked-in varieties.

Cucumbers are the fourth most widely cultivated vegetable in the world, following tomatoes, cabbage and onions. Markets classify them into slicing cucumbers and pickling cucumbers. I like the homegrown pickling varieties in salads, too, so that’s what I look for when buying locally. They are usually smaller than slicing cucumbers, and if they get too large, they become pithy. I always squeeze them on the ends to see if they are too soft, which is an indicator they are past their prime.

Cucumbers come from the same botanical family as melons and squash. Their health benefits come from plant chemicals called lignans, which are a major group of phytoestrogens and also act as antioxidants. Lignans are associated with reduced risk of breast, uterine, ovarian and prostate cancers and with improved cardiovascular health. Cucumbers have anti-inflammatory properties as well and are high in vitamin K.

Below are some of my favorite recipes with cukes. One of my favorites, of course, is just cream cheese and cucumber on a piece of white sandwich bread. Sometimes I add mayonnaise and a dash of dill or dry ranch dressing to the cream cheese. It’s a cool summer lunch. With these below, adjust the number of cucumbers according to the type you are using. A large pickling cuke is smaller than a large slicing cuke, so you will have to eye-ball some of the amounts.

Easy Refrigerator Pickles

  • 12 large cucumbers, sliced
  • 2 onions, sliced thin
  • 4 C. apple cider vinegar
  • 4 C. sugar
  • 1/2 C. plain salt, not iodized
  • 1 1/4 tsp. turmeric
  • 1 1/4 tsp. celery seed
  • 1 1/4 tsp. mustard seed

Alternate cucumbers and onions in layers in a gallon jar. Combine other ingredients and pour into jar. Refrigerate at least one day before serving. Keeps indefinitely.

Cold Cucumber Soup, no. 1

  • 3-6 large cucumbers, peeled and seeded
  • Juice of one lime
  • 1 C. non-fat yogurt
  • 1/8 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 C. fresh dill

Combine all ingredients in blender and puree until smooth. Chill until ready to serve. Garnish with chopped tomato or avocado if desired.

Cold Cucumber Soup, no. 2

  • 3 large cucumbers, peeled and chopped
  • 2 small cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
  • 1/2tbs. salt
  • 1 1/2 C. buttermilk
  • 1/4 C. fresh mint leaves, chopped
  • 1 tbs. red wine vinegar
  • 2 ice cubes
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all except 1/4 C. of cucumber in blender until smooth. garnish with remaining cucumber and sprigs of mint.

Cucumber and Honeydew Salad

  • 2 C. peeled, sliced and cubed cucumber
  • 2 C. cubed honeydew
  • 2 tbs. finely chopped red onion 
  • 3 tbs. red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbs. olive oil
  • 1/8 tsp. salt
  • Black pepper to taste

Toss ingredients and chill up to four hours before serving.

Cukes in Cream Salad

  • 2 large cucumbers, thinly sliced 
  • 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 C. low-fat sour cream 
  • 1/4 C. mayonnaise
  • 1 tbs. fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. dill weed
  • 2 tbs. lemon juice
  • Black pepper to taste

Layer onion on top of cucumbers in medium bowl. Mix other ingredients and pour over vegetables. Chill 2 hours. Mix carefully before serving.