Older Bolder Life

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the Older Bolder Life Salad Monday: Quick Cucumber, Mint, and Onion Salad

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Now and then we like to throw together a quick salad for dinner or lunch; mostly on those days when my task list is long and time is short, and we’re hungry for some tasty, crunchy greens with a bright, interesting dressing.

This Quick Cucumber, Mint, and Onion Salad is one that we’ve been reaching for over and over again lately as we amble through a warmer than average fall season here in North Texas. With decent knife skills this one literally requires five minutes or less of hands-on prep time, is bright and colorful, and the mint adds a nifty flavor profile that’s a little out of the ordinary.

You can use any onion you have on hand; the salad is prettier with a red onion thinly sliced in (the last time I made it my only red onion had gone off, so a sweet white onion went in the salad in the pictures). Don’t have any Persian cucumbers at your market today? English cucumbers work great as well, and are pretty much available year round.

And play around with the vinegar; the recipe calls for unseasoned rice vinegar, though we’ve made it with a champagne vinegar we happened to have on hand and it was delicious as well.

6-7 Persian cucumbers, sliced thin OR
2 English hothouse cucumbers, sliced thin
1/2 small to medium (red) onion, thinly sliced into strips
1 and 1/2 tsp good salt, more to taste
1/4 unseasoned rice vinegar, though see note above
1/2 to 1 bunch of fresh mint leaves, torn if very large
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Optional
1 tsp sugar of choice

Prep the cucumbers and onion, then combine gently in a mid-size bowl and toss gently with the salt. Let it rest for 20-30 minutes until the cucumbers begin to release some liquid; gently express as much liquid as you can from the cucumber and onion mixture, then transfer to a clean bowl.

Now toss the vegetables with the vinegar, pepper, and sugar if using, then the mint leaves; adjust for salt and pepper.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Salad Monday: Quick Cucumber Mint Salad

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Now that summer has arrived, or is at least knocking on the door for most of us, we start digging through the digital recipe box for cool, crisp, and interesting salads to accompany the grilled proteins that the summer season demands.

A friend served this Quick Cucumber Mint Salad to us a few weeks back, and my wife and I both pestered her for the recipe before the night was out. This one really is a quick prep; you’re mainly slicing and spicing, with an hour or so of resting the salted cucumbers and onions along the way.

The fresh mint adds a wonderful burst of flavor (and interest), and we like this one just as much without the honey or maple syrup – try it both ways…

3 English cucumbers, thinly sliced
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
2 tsp kosher salt, more to taste
1 bunch (small) fresh mint leaves
1/3 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
2-3 tbsp avocado or extra virgin olive oil
1-2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1-2 tsp. Honey or maple syrup, optional

Combine the sliced cucumbers and red onion in a medium bowl; sprinkle with 2 tsp of salt, stir to mix well, cover and throw in the fridge for an hour.

Remove from the fridge and drain in a colander, pushing down gently on the mixture to express as much water as possible.

Place in a clean bowl, add the mint leaves, and drizzle with the vinegar and oil of choice; add the pepper, honey or maple syrup if using, and salt to taste, Stir gently and go to it.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Sauce Monday: Turmeric Tzatziki

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I’m not sure where or how it came to be actually, but my wife is crazy about tzatziki.

We came to appreciate authentic Greek food in early adulthood, and while she’d traveled and lived internationally (North Africa and Switzerland), she’s never been to Greece and experienced the wonderful cuisine on the ground there. Her family did live and work in Algeria for a while, in a fairly multicultural setting, and there they were exposed to all sorts of Mediterranean delicacies.

No matter what the history, she loves tzatziki.

I was talking with a friend about dips to serve at an upcoming party she was hosting, and we somehow came around to this wonderful Turmeric Tzatziki, one of my wife’s recent new favorites. Blooming the turmeric in the hot oil is a genius step, and this dish really pops with a wonderful burst of lemon (using both fresh juice and zest), ginger, garlic, and of course the essential grated cucumber.

Classically made with greek yogurt, we think this is just as good (maybe even better) when made with sour cream. It’s delicious with a plate of crudite, and a perfect complement to any Greek-spiced protein. And for the bonus today – if you’re handy in the kitchen, this one will talk all of ten minutes to put together (ok, maybe 15).

And don’t forget the fresh ground pepper; you need those pepper based compounds (piperines) to optimize absorption of the curcumin in your turmeric. And is just tastes good…

1 to 2 tsp good ground turmeric
2 tbsp avocado oil (or EVOO)

2 small cucumbers or 1/2 English hothouse cucumber
1 tsp good salt

1 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1-2 garlic cloves, grated
1-2 tsp grated fresh ginger (peeled)
1 tbsp chopped fresh mint (chiffonade), or more
1/2-1 tsp fresh lemon zest, grated
1/2-1 tsp fresh ground pepper
Good salt to taste (see note)

Stir the avocado oil (or EVOO) together with the turmeric in a small saucepan over medium heat; remove from the heat when it just starts to bubble, stir again, and set aside to cool.

As the oil is cooling, grate the cucumber coarsely, spread on a clean dishtowel on a plate, and salt with 1 tsp of good salt. Let rest for 10-15 minutes, then wring out as much water as possible from the cucumber, add to a medium bowl.

Now add the yogurt or sour cream, lemon juice, grated garlic and ginger, mint, lemon zest, fresh ground pepper, and the turmeric oil. Stir well to combine, and correct the seasonings, including salt as needed.

Best served promptly, will keep covered in the fridge for a bit.

Enjoy.