Easiest-Easier-Easy: Cucumbers

We're almost at the end of cucumber season, but I figure better late than never.  Actually, the reason I haven't posted anything yet about cukes as a side dish is b/c all the cukes in our house get gobbled up plain, as is, for snacks and appetizers.  Nary a cuke to pickle even.  I get about one cuke every few weeks to do something "interesting" with, so I don't have a whole lot of pictures either. 

The best things to do with cukes, in my opinion, is dress them lightly with a vinegar dressing that compliments the flavors of your main dish...herbal, Asian and spicy are the trio here.  I also like cucumbers served instead of crackers on an appetizer tray, combined with other summer fruits and veggies in a salad, in summer rolls, in gazpacho or in a smoothie.

Depending on the variety of cucumber, I may or may not peel.  With most "regular" cukes, I'll peel about half the skin off in strips, giving the cucumber a striped look.  If the peel is especially tough or bitter, I'll take it all off.  With Asian or English types, I usually leave all the peel on.

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Cucumber Chive Flower Salad

I have recently discovered that the pale purple flowers topping chive stems are edible.  They're toothsome without being cronchy and are perfectly onion-y.  Pull the florets off the puffball of the flower and sprinkle them into salads (like the one below) or pilafs or on burgers or burritos.  If you don't have flowering chives growing in your garden, substitute about 2 tablespoons of snipped chives, sliced green onions or chopped red onion.

I use Splenda in the dressing rather than sugar as it dissolves better in the vinegar, but feel free to use an equal amount of sugar instead.

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