Smashed Cucumber Salad

This is a fun way to change up your cucumber salad routine. Salting and smashing the veggie is a bit like salting and massaging kale, changing the texture and making it easier for dressing ingredients to quickly soak into the cucumber. If you have store bought chile crisp use that instead of the individual sauce ingredients for a super simple dish.

Ingredients

• 1 large cucumber
  Salt
• 1-2 teaspoons sesame oil
• Pinch of sugar (optional)
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon crushed red chile flakes, or one or two crushed chiltepins
• 1-2 cloves garlic, crushed
• Drizzle rice wine vinegar
  Dash soy sauce to taste

Cut ends off of cucumber, slice in half lengthwise and salt cut sides with a generous sprinkle of salt. Set aside for 20 minutes. Drain away any moisture from the cucumber and place each half cut side down on a cutting board. Use a cleaver or the bottom of a sturdy mug to hit the cucumber, smashing the whole length down. Roughly chop into bite size pieces and place in a bowl. Mix together a bit of toasted sesame oil, vinegar and soy sauce and add crushed garlic, chile and sugar to taste. Pour over cucumbers and massage together a bit. Taste for seasoning and anything as needed to make a spicy, garlickly cucumber salad. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired.

Submitted by Sara Jones, Tucson CSA