Another light meal for one during my week of being “single” while DH took his first business trip out of town in a year and a half. While he was gone, we had a couple swelteringly hot days (humidity around 90% + temps over 100F) that left me unwilling to fathom eating anything hot. Cucumber salads it is.
gluten-free, paleo, pescatarian
Smashed Cucumber with Dilled Smoked Salmon
1 medium/large cucumber
1/4 red onion, sliced wafer thin
1/2 tsp. sugar
1.5 Tbsp. soy sauce or coconut aminos
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. sesame seeds
1/2 tomato, sliced
Pinch red pepper flakes
1/4 c. your favorite unflavored yogurt
2 Tbsp. fresh dill, chopped
1 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp. hot mustard
1-3 ounces smoked salmon
Salt & pepper
First, smash your cucumber with the back of a heavy pan to break into semi-chaotic (and hopefully bite-sized) chunks.
In a small dish, combine the soy sauce, sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sesame seeds and red pepper flakes. Pour over the cucumber and let sit for a bit to marinate.
Slice the onion wafer thin and plunk on top to marinate as well. I let mine sit for about half an hour and then poured off about half the liquid so it wouldn’t be too soupy.
Add your tomato, cut into bite-sized pieces.
In another small bowl, combine the yogurt, dill, garlic powder, hot mustard, and a good pinch salt. Stir and taste for seasoning. Depending on your yogurt, you may need a hit of lemon juice here to wake the flavors up.
Swirl the salmon into little roses in your bowl and top with yogurt. I spread each piece with a little of the yogurt first before rolling, which seemed to work well.
Serves 1 for lunch or dinner
Gastography 