Maybe you’ve seen a traditional roped Thai cucumber salad hanging in your local Thai restaurant, and while there is some skill required for the twining, it’s the perfect time to put your garden cucumbers to good use.

Thai Cucumber Salad

Cooking twine

Sterilized large needle for twine

5 large hard cucumbers, unwaxed

1 red onion

Sea salt

Sauce:

Sea salt

Honey

Red pepper flakes

Apple cider vinegar

Spicy oil (usually red pepper)

Slice cucumbers in about quarter-inch slices, although you may use a size that works for you. If you can’t get unwaxed cucumbers, consider peeling off part of the skin in stripes or completely peeling them. Make as small a hole as possible in the flesh of the cuke and string the cucumbers as if they are beads on a necklace. Slice and add onion pieces ”“ as many or as few as you like. Tie the ends of the cooking twine together and lightly sprinkle the cucumbers with sea salt. Hang the cucumbers up over a bowl so that they may drain. I recommend hanging time at a minimum of two hours.

When cucumbers have drained but are still fleshy, take them down and push them off the twine. Sprinkle them with the ingredients of the sauce. Taste and adjust seasonings as you like. Add the onions to them and toss. Serve immediately.

Cool Cucumber Soup

3 cucumbers, peeled and grated

1 bunch of mint, chopped

1 tablespoon butter

3/4 tablespoon flour

3 to 4 cups chicken stock or water

1 lemon

heavy cream

Melt butter in a saucepan and add flour. Cook for about 90 seconds. Add stock or water and stir. Cool until very slightly thickened. Add the mint and cucumber, but reserve about 1/4 cup of grated cucumber for garnishing. Cook until cucumber has slightly broken down; this decision also depends on how fresh tasting you like your soup. Cook until just getting a little limp if you want it super fresh. Let cool.

Place soup in a blender in single servings, but make sure you stir up the mint and cucumber beforehand so there is equal distribution in every portion. Blend until the soup is smooth, although you may find small mint flecks.

Serve garnished with fresh grated cucumber. An ice cube may be added to make soup colder if you are in a hurry, but be careful to make sure the ice gets blended up first. This also thins the soup.

Add a slice of lemon and a swirl of cream in each serving, if desired.

Spicy Cucumber Soup

2 zucchinis

3 cucumbers

1 onion

1 bunch green onions

3-plus tablespoons butter

Lemongrass

Sugar

Soy sauce

Red pepper flakes

Black pepper

5 cups chicken stock or water

Peel and cut up zukes and cukes. Also chop onion and green onions.

Add to large saucepan with butter. Cook over low heat until onion is clear and the other veggies are limp. Add extra butter or water if needed to keep browning low. Add chicken stock. Add pinches of all spices and sugar, and drops of soy sauce, and stir. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Pour soup into a blender in batches, and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings again.

This soup is usually served chilled, but if the fancy strikes you, try it warm.

— Mel Baker is an experienced chef, caterer and cafe manager. She resides in York County with her family and has published “The Noisy Oven” since 2006. Contact her at [email protected].