The fruit of Cucumis
sativus often is relegated to a bit player on our dining tables. Sometimes
it has a small role in America’s sandwich of choice, the hamburger when it’s
pickled and sliced. Sometimes it may garnish those finger sandwiches served at
the customary British tea time. But its most frequent appearance is usually as
a filler at all-you-can-eat salad bars. But because it’s mostly water – about
95% - loading your meal with the humble cucumber may prevent that dreaded battle
of the bulge.
The Dissected
Cucumber
The broad family of the cucumber, Curcurbitaceae includes pumpkins, squash, zucchini, gourds, all
types of melons including the watermelon and the cucumber. As I mentioned,
because it’s primarily made up of water, there aren’t a whole lot of nutrients
though it does contain most of the B vitamins in very small amounts along with
magnesium, manganese and Vitamin K. However, the beauty is in what it doesn’t
contain… very many calories yet it still provides a pleasing crunch and it does
bulk up your meal to give you a sense of satiety or fullness. For sensitive
diners who have trouble digesting the pulp and skin, it can cause belching and
gastrointestinal symptoms hence the creation of burpless strains of cucumbers.
The various cucumber aldehydes give “cukes” their characteristic aroma and
flavor while the curcurbitacins give it that slight bitterness.
Culinary
Applications
My first culinary exposure to cucumbers was either sliced
cucumbers in tuna sandwiches – because Mom never sliced the crust off of the
bread, I don’t think she was trying to emulate High Tea – or simple half moon
slices without the seeds served with shoyu.
Mom did feel that the seeds weren’t as digestible so she removed them for
salads but left them intact when served in tuna sandwiches. She also taught me
to slice the ends off of the cucumber then rub the cut ends until a white foam
appeared. She said that her mother told her that it removed the bitterness but
I think even Mom was skeptical but passed the information along to her children
regardless. Or sometimes it appeared as slices pickled along with carrots and daikon in the traditional Japanese namasu. We also had the traditional
Western dill pickles in sandwiches but cucumbers didn’t play a large role in
the Tatsumoto diet.
Ethnic Salads
Other than pickled, cucumbers shine brightest in salads
as I’ve never sampled any cooked cucumber dishes nor do I want to. And they do
appear in many ethnic recipes like one of my favorite local salads, the pohole (on Maui) or ho’io (the rest of Hawaii) salad which refers to the young fiddle
head fern shoots which are usually blanched along with sweet onions, tomatoes
and often diced cucumbers and ogo (Gracilaria seaweed) in a dressing of
fish sauce, shoyu and vinegar. I
personally also add some smoked olive oil though I leave out the customer o’pae (dried shrimp) as I feel the fish
sauce gives it enough umami kick.
Of course, I’m pretty sure it’s difficult to find pohole/ho’io and ogo in the Bay Area, but you can still make a Greek salad with
chopped cucumbers, red onions, tomato, Kalamata olives and feta cheese in an
olive oil (Greek of course) and red wine vinegar vinaigrette spiced with
oregano, dill and mint. And if you’re creating an authentic Middle Eastern meal
with schwarma and gyros, add some finely chopped fresh
cucumber, garlic, dill and lemon juice to Greek style yogurt for the perfect
dressing for grilled proteins, tzatziki.
Opa!
Or how about my deconstructed Spanish gazpacho salad
featuring everything found in that classic Spanish cold soup before it hits the
blender:
Gazpacho Salad
1 large peeled cucumber, roughly chopped
3 medium tomatoes or 5 Roma tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 small red bell pepper, roughly chopped
1 small green bell pepper, roughly chopped
1/2 small sweet onion or red onion, finely sliced
1 small avocado, peeled, seeded and roughly chopped then
tossed in 2 tsp lime juice
½ cup roughly chopped fresh curly parsley
¼ cup olive oil (Spanish of course)
2 tsp Sherry vinegar
2 tsp Balsamic vinegar
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp fresh lime juice
¼ tsp ground cumin
Fresh cracked black pepper to taste
Smoked salt to taste
Toasted croutons for garnish
The Green Envious
Martini
Sometime after I hit the 5th decade in life, I
scheduled my appointment for that highly desired medical procedure that all
“old folks” look forward to… the visit with the gastroenterologist and his
sidekick, that flexible endoscope. So at discharge, they wheeled me out to the Mrs.
who was waiting as my designated driver after my triple therapy of propofol,
midazolam and fentanyl. I felt slightly groggy upon discharge but could
ambulate on my own so the Mrs. asked if she could make a quick stop at Ala
Moana Shopping Center and perhaps a light lunch as my intestinal tract was as
empty as Golytely makes it. The Mrs. did read my discharge instructions – a
light, non-greasy first meal so as not to shock my intestinal tract back into
action and no alcohol since I did receive the triple sedative cocktail. So I ordered
a simple King crab salad approved by the Mrs. However, the cocktail special for
the month was the Envious Green Martini with Hendricks gin, green Chartreuse,
lime juice and cucumber. Because I was starin’ at the description of the
Envious Green Martini, the Mrs. did order one and did allow me a very tiny sip
though promptly took the glass back and kept it out of my arms reach. So the
next day, I did try to re-create it in my kitchen… and still haven’t perfected
it… yet, and though I normally don’t really care for that pronounced cucumber
flavor in Hendricks gin, boosting it with cucumber juice, herbal Chartreuse and
a hit of lime was unforgettable. Of course, while the Mrs. excused herself to
the restroom, I also snuck in an order of the mixed sweet potato and regular
fries and pleaded my case when she returned… “when fries are done properly like
here at Mariposa, they’re not greasy”… I still got “the stare”…
So hopefully, you’ll add more cucumbers into your regular diet if not to prevent that dreaded battle of the bulge that comes with age, then simply to vary your diet that accommodates a variety of ethnic dishes…
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