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Smashed Cucumber Salad with Toasted Sesame and Peanut

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Chef notes

Cool cucumbers are the star of this summer salad. Umami-rich miso, nutty sesame and zesty citrus add a bright punch of flavor. Hot jalapeños and crunchy peanuts add extra crunch to this easy and exciting side.

Ingredients

  • 6-8 small Persian cucumbers
  • kosher salt
  • 1/3 cup sesame oil
  • 1 jalapeño, de-seeded and sliced thinly
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 3 green onions, light green and white parts finely minced
  • 2 shallots, finely minced
  • 1/4 cup peanuts
  • 1 lemon, zested
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced
  • 1 lime, zested
  • 1/2 lime, juiced
  • 3 tablespoons coconut aminos
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon miso
  • chopped herbs (basil, mint, cilantro, etc), to garnish

Preparation

1.

In a large bowl, lightly smash cucumbers with a muddle or bottom of a mason jar and tear into bite size pieces. Toss with a pinch of salt and set aside.

2.

While the cucumbers are salting, heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the sesame oil, jalapeño, garlic, green onion and shallot to the pan. Cooking for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant. Add in the peanuts and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes or until you can smell the peanuts getting toasty.

3.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the lemon and lime juice and zest, coconut aminos, toasted sesame oil, miso and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Add the sesame peanut mixture to the citrus mixture and whisk until thoroughly incorporated. Drizzle the warm mixture over the cucumbers, and top with whatever chopped herbs you have on hand (I really like mint and basil for this).