Cucumber Salad

Refreshing June Recipes by Natoora

By Natoora Natoora
02/06/2011

Beetroot, squid, cucumber and peas: read on for Natoora's delicious and refreshing seasonal recipes...

Cucumber, borage and ginger salad

Serves 2 as a side dish

1 Sicilian cucumber
50g borage
2cm ginger, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks
1tbsp caster sugar
5 tbsp rice vinegar
½ tsp soy sauce
salt

Peel alternate strips off the cucumber so that you end up with a stripey cucumber. Then slice very thinly and sprinkle with salt and leave to rest in a colander for 10 minutes until softened.

Chop the borage in 2 cm stripes, then lightly steam until just about wilted.

Mix the sugar and a pinch of salt with the vinegar and soy sauce.

Rinse the cucumber and squeeze to drain excess water.

Mix the cucumber and borage with the dressing, then sprinkle the ginger matchsticks on top.

This is a very refreshing salad so it’s a good accompaniment to rich meats and oily fish.

Beetroot Spaetzle

200g baby beetroot
2 eggs
50g parmesan (grated)
220g flour
2 tbsp milk
pinch of salt
butter
poppy seeds

Cook the beets in boiling water for around 20 minutes, making sure you don’t top and tail before. Allow to cool down, then rub the skin off gently with your hands.

Blitz them into a puree, then mix with eggs, salt, flour, milk and grated cheese to a creamy consistency. Leave to rest for an hour.

For the sauce melt some butter and gently fry with one teaspoon of poppy seeds.

Bring a pot of water to boil, add salt, then sieve the beetroot mixture little by little in a colander, pressing down with a wooden spoon or a silicon spatula, directly into the gently boiling water.

Do this in batches, when the spatzle rise to the surface, transfer them to the pan with the sauce, toss and serve.

Stewed Squid with Fresh Peas

Serves 4

1kg squid, cleaned
500g fresh peas
½ ltr vegetable stock
1 onion
a dash of dry white wine
extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp chopped parsley
salt and pepper

Slice the squid into thick strips and finely chop the onion. In a pot or saucepan with a lid, gently fry the onion in around 4 tbsp of olive oil. Once softened, add the squid and cook for a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Add a dash of white wine, and when evaporated, cover with hot stock.

Leave to cook with the lid on for about 15 minutes, then add the peas and parsley and cook for a further 30 minutes adding stock when required.

Taste, adjust seasoning and serve hot.