Monday, May 3, 2010

COOLING OFF WITH CUCUMBERS

Cool as a cucumber.  English Cucumbers are usually sold wrapped in plastic to reduce water loss.  Therefore, they are not waxed so they generally don't need to be peeled.


The time:  August, 1974.  The place:  SeattleWashington.  The temp:  hot!  When I think of the peak of summer back then, I picture two things:  a 30” light turquoise oscillating fan perched on our dining room floor…and crisp, cold marinated cucumbers.  Truthfully, a “scorcher” in Seattle in those days (pre-global warming hype) was probably only about 85°.  But I distinctly recall that those abnormally hot days were miserably unbearable.  And when dad went to the trouble of resurrecting that turquoise fan out of the basement, it was officially a sizzler in Seattle.

Since it was too hot to cook in the kitchen, dad would barbecue chicken marinated

COLD MARINATED CUCUMBERS

Serves 4-6
1 large English cucumber (approximately 1 pound)
4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

Cut cucumber into ¼ inch slices.  Place in a wide, shallow dish.  In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, sesame oil and rice wine vinegar; pour over cucumber slices.  Toss to coat evenly.  Refrigerate for 1 hour, tossing 2-3 times.  Serve chilled or room temperature.