Not Too Tricky
serves 4
About the recipe
When the process of breaking something creates unformed beauty, it is incredibly satisfying. If it also has a practical function, I’m sold. The jagged texture of the cucumber here creates more surface area to grab onto sauce and toppings. I learned the technique while making oi muchim, a Korean spicy cucumber salad, and have used it ever since. This version goes full Caesar and it’s totally delicious.
Ingredients
3 cucumbers, washed
3 tbsp panko breadcrumbs
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, bashed (skin on)
4 thyme sprigs
grated zest of 1 lemon
handful of chives, thinly sliced
handful of parsley, finely chopped
salt and pepper
FOR THE DRESSING
4-6 tinned anchovy fillets in oil, crushed to a paste
25g Parmesan cheese, grated with microplane grater
1 egg yolk
15g Dijon mustard
juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Tabasco
100ml extra virgin olive oil
Method
- Smash the whole cucumbers using the flat side of a large knife until they start to break down, then roughly chop them into uneven, large bite-sized pieces. Put them in a colander over a bowl with a good pinch of salt, mix well and set aside for 15-20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, toast the breadcrumbs in the olive oil in a frying pan with the garlic cloves and thyme till golden brown. Remove from the heat and season with salt and the lemon zest while hot, then set aside.
- You can make the dressing in the same way as you would a mayonnaise, putting all the ingredients other than the oil into a bowl and mixing well, then slowly streaming in all the oil, whisking constantly throughout. Otherwise, blend all the ingredients at once in a blender (I often blend it). Check for seasoning.
- Drain the cucumbers, then add them to the dressing with half the herbs. Mix well, then finish with the toasted breadcrumbs and the rest of the herbs.
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