Cucumber recipes

Fungus among us salad tosses crisp iceberg, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, radishes, and red onion with chilled creamed spinach as a green, gloopy 'fungus' dressing. A Halloween party gross-out salad kids love.

Pita chicken sandwiches with sauteed breast, caramelized onions, and a cool yogurt-cucumber sauce, chilled and wrapped for portable eating. A make-ahead lunch or picnic sandwich.

Chunky garden gazpacho with fresh tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumber, and celery in a tomato sauce base with olive oil, red wine vinegar, and honey. A no-cook chilled soup.

Moroccan-spiced couscous salad with chickpeas, currants, Granny Smith apple, and crunchy vegetables in a lemon dressing. A low-fat make-ahead salad that keeps for up to 3 days.

Marinated vegetable toss with tomatoes, radishes, red onion, celery, and cucumber in Italian dressing, chilled overnight. A crunchy, make-ahead side salad with no cooking required.

Orange onion shrimp salad with avocado, cucumber, and a bold chili dressing. A fresh, no-cook meal with sweet citrus, creamy avocado, and spicy heat in every forkful.

Bright red cinnamon-spiked Christmas pickles made from cucumber rings soaked in lime water, boiled with red hots candy, and canned in a sweet syrup. A multi-day Southern canning tradition.

Loaded veggie sandwich on multigrain bread with mashed avocado, roasted red pepper, cucumber, tomato, cheddar, and alfalfa sprouts. No cooking required.

Greek-style burger sauce with yogurt, cucumber, mint, oregano, cumin, and a splash of red wine. A homemade tzatziki-inspired topping for grilled burgers.

Warm ham salad with a cooked vinegar dressing tossed with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, and green pepper. Topped with American cheese strips and sliced hard-boiled eggs.

Traditional Vietnamese herb and vegetable platter with fresh mint, cilantro, basil, bean sprouts, cucumber, and tropical fruits. The essential accompaniment for pho, banh mi, and spring rolls.

Thai pla preeo wan, broiled flounder topped with a fresh sweet-and-sour sauce of diced pineapple, cucumber, tomato, ginger, and cilantro. Light, bright, and healthy weeknight fish.

Note: In lieu of fresh trout, 1/2 lb cooked and flaked fish may be used. Make smaller protions and serve as an appetizer. Oatcakes that have been gently warmed in the oven go well with this dish.

To bring out the natural sweetness of ham and to keep it juicy during grilling, we glazed ham steaks with orange juice and tequila.

Pickled baby corn on the cob in a sweet-sour brine with turmeric, celery seed, and garlic. Refrigerator pickle that turns sunshine yellow and lasts a week.

Italian no-cook tomato cucumber summer salad with red onion, basil, parsley, and a touch of red pepper flakes. Italian-style topping for bruschetta or tossed cold with pasta.