You read that right. We’re gonna cook these fuckers. This recipe will start with a mirepoix and be finished off with a healthy portion of dill weed. The remarkable thing about this recipe is in the transformation of the cucumbers to a silky and soft delicate texture that bears little resemblance to its original form. Yum.
Ingredients
Several big slicing cucumbers
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
2-3 celery stalks, chopped
1/2 bulb of fennel, chopped
1 tbsp. vegetable oil (canola, safflower, sunflower…)
1 tbsp. olive oil
3 bay leaves
1 clove garlic
Large bunch of fresh dill
Some celery leaves
1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
1 tsp. sweet paprika
1 tsp. sea salt
Process
Begin by peeling and deseeding the cucumbers. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the skins lengthwise, then slice in half, and with a tablespoon, scoop out the innards with a simple downward motion. Then take the cucumber halves, which will look a bit like canoes, and slice them laterally into little naked crescents. This stew is all about the cucumber so you can do this with 3-5 large slicing cucumbers.
Proceed by making a mirepoix using the oils, onion, carrot, fennel, celery, garlic, and bay leaves.
Add the cucumbers to the mirepoix and add enough water to cover the vegetable mixture. Add some chopped celery leaves and salt and cook for an hour.
Check the cucumbers for doneness. They should be tender like cooked pumpkin. Add the chopped dill and the remaining spices.