Smashed Cucumber Dill Salad
Source: Micah Siva, NOSH
Seasons: Summer
This recipe appears in Nosh: Plant-Forward Recipes Celebrating Modern Jewish Cuisine by Micah Siva (The Collective Book Studio, 2024) and was demonstrated at the Foodwise Classroom on June 15, 2024.
Micah Siva is a trained chef, registered dietitian, recipe writer, and food photographer, specializing in modern Jewish cuisine. After graduating from the Natural Gourmet Institute of Health & Culinary Arts, she pursued a career in nutrition and later worked for global brands, media outlets, and publications in food media. She shares Jewish-inspired, plant-forward recipes through her blog, Nosh with Micah. She is the author of the new cookbook Nosh: Plant Forward Recipes Celebrating Modern Jewish Cuisine (Simon & Schuster, March 2024). Micah lives in San Francisco, California, with her husband, Josh, and dog, Buckwheat.
Serves 4-6
INGREDIENTS
2 large English cucumbers or 6 Persian cucumbers
½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
½ cup chopped fresh dill
Black pepper
PREPARATION
Cut the ends off the cucumbers and cut them in half lengthwise. Place the cucumber halves, cut side down, on a cutting board and, using the handle of a wooden spoon or spatula, press down firmly using the heel of your hand until the cucumber splits, repeating the motion along the length of the cucumber.
Once it is evenly smashed, cut the cucumbers into diagonal 1-inch slices. Transfer the cucumbers to a large bowl, add the salt, toss until combined, and let sit for 20 minutes.
Using a colander, drain the excess liquid from the cucumbers, and then return them to the bowl. Add the vinegar, sugar, and garlic, toss, and let sit for 10 minutes.
Add the dill and mix until combined. Taste, season with salt and pepper, and serve.
Note: This salad gets better the longer it sits. Make it up to 1 day in advance and toss with the fresh dill just before serving.
Substitution: Instead of white wine vinegar, try white balsamic vinegar or any white vinegar.
