These cucumber recipes came out of one of our summer meetups when cucumber somehow found its way into almost everything. We drank it with coconut water, lime and mint, ate it in homemade tzatziki and even put slices over our eyes during breathwork.
Courgettes joined the party too, in crispy Parmesan crackers and fritters. Fresh, cooling and perfect for a hot Maltese summer morning. Apparently the Cucurbitaceae family knows how to do a meetup.
Agua Fresca
This was our cooling drink for a very hot July morning in Malta. Fresh cucumber, lime and mint with coconut water, plenty of ice and just enough salt. I left the sweetness optional because I actually like it without.
Ingredients
- 4 cucumbers, skin on
- 1 litre coconut water
- Juice of 4 limes
- A generous handful of fresh mint
- Pinch of salt
- Plenty of ice
- Agave syrup or honey, optional
Method
Blend the cucumbers, coconut water, lime juice, mint and salt until very smooth.
Taste and add a little agave syrup or honey if you prefer it sweeter. Strain if you want a lighter, smoother drink although I don’t bother.
Serve very cold with plenty of ice.
Courgette Parmesan Crackers
These were the thin, crispy ones we had with the tzatziki.
Ingredients
- 1 medium courgette, grated
- 1 cup almond flour
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp mixed dried herbs such as oregano, thyme or basil
- Chilli flakes or sesame seeds, optional
Method
Heat the oven to 180°C.
Grate the courgette and squeeze out as much liquid as you can (don’t be gentle!). Mix with the remaining ingredients until you have a soft dough.
Place between two sheets of baking paper and roll it out quite thinly. The thinner you go, the crispier the crackers.
Remove the top sheet, score into cracker-sized pieces and bake for around 25–35 minutes, watching the edges towards the end.
Leave to cool before breaking apart. They crisp up more as they cool.
Courgette Fritters
Ingredients
- 4 cups shredded courgette
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 cup gluten-free flour
- 2 tbsp ghee or butter for frying
Method
Grate the courgettes and squeeze out as much excess liquid as possible.
Mix with the eggs, salt, baking powder, pepper and flour.
Heat a little ghee or butter in a frying pan. Spoon in small portions of the mixture and flatten gently.
Cook until golden underneath, flip and cook the other side until golden and cooked through.
Serve warm with the homemade tzatziki.
Homemade Tzatziki
Fresh, simple and particularly good with the courgette crackers and fritters.
Ingredients
- ½ cup finely grated cucumber (I love the small Persian cucumbers for this one!)
- 1 cup thick Greek yoghurt
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, finely grated
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh mint, optional
Method
Grate the cucumber and squeeze out the excess water.
Mix everything together and taste. Adjust the lemon, garlic or salt if needed.
Pop it in the fridge until serving. It is even better when it has had a little time for the flavours to get acquainted.
These recipes came from our wonderfully cucumber-filled July meetup. Read the story behind the morning here.