Recipe developed and contributed by Maureen Gualtieri
This month marks the advent of that gloriously heavy holiday fare that, though welcome, will put most of us through a bit of a wringer until January 1. In the spirit of balance, I offer our November recipe – a light, crunchy, smashed cucumber salad that, with DFC’s Garlic Chili Crisp, puts a local Ontario spin on a Chinese classic. Between the sweet and cool cukes and spicy chili crisp, this dish has many applications on the table. Enjoy as a side to a magnificent roast, with a bowl of soothing congee, or on its own over the sink the morning after overdoing it on fondue. (I’ve been there!)
Smashed Cucumber Salad
(Yield: 4 servings)
4 (450g) Persian or “mini” cucumbers
generous pinch kosher salt
2 cloves (10g) fresh garlic, crushed
2 tbsp (30ml) low sodium soy sauce
2 tsp (10ml) rice vinegar
2 tsp (10ml) aged black vinegar
1/2 tsp (approx. 1ml) sesame oil
1 tbsp (12ml) DFC’s Garlic Chili Crisp
In a small non-reactive bowl, combine the dressing ingredients – everything but the cucumbers and kosher salt. Set it aside to allow the flavours to mix (and the garlic to smooth out some of its punch).
Smash your cucumbers by laying them out on a cutting board and pushing the flat of a large knife down onto them evenly with the heel of your hand. Slice the smashed cucumbers, width to your taste, and pile them all in a large bowl. Sprinkle with kosher salt and mix well. Let the salted cucumbers vibe on their own alongside the dressing, for about 15 minutes.
Once the time is up, drain any liquid that has leached out of the cucumbers. (You don’t need to rinse them.) Add dressing to the cukes, toss well, and serve right away – preferably with something that will soak up the delicious dressing/cucumber juice combination!
