Cucumber-and-Mâche Salad

Name: Cucumber-and-Mâche Salad
Total time: 15 min
Yield: Serves 6 to 8
Cuisine: middle eastern
Ingredients: 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice; 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed; 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and grated; 2 tablespoons plain, full-fat yogurt; Kosher salt to taste; 10 baby cucumbers or 3 regular cucumbers, approximately 2 to 2 1/2 pounds; 1 cup mâche leaves, or purslane; 1/3 cup mint leaves; 1/3 cup cilantro leaves; 1 teaspoon nigella seeds; 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi

Adapted by Sam Sifton

Cucumber-and-Mâche Salad — Carol Sachs for The New York Times

Total Time: 15 minutes
Rating: 4(239)
Comments: Read comments

This delicate salad, from the chef Yotam Ottolenghi, is redolent with spring flavors. Do not dress it until just before it reaches the table, and if mâche is not available, try purslane. —Sam Sifton

Featured in: Revel in the Bounty of Spring, With a Feast From Yotam Ottolenghi

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Ingredients

Yield:Serves 6 to 8

1½tablespoons lemon juice
1garlic clove, peeled and crushed
1inch fresh ginger, peeled and grated
2tablespoons plain, full-fat yogurt
Kosher salt to taste
10baby cucumbers or 3 regular cucumbers, approximately 2 to 2½ pounds
1cup mâche leaves, or purslane
⅓cup mint leaves
⅓cup cilantro leaves
1teaspoon nigella seeds
1tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
For the dressing, whisk together the lemon juice, garlic, ginger and yogurt, along with a pinch of salt, and set aside.
Step 2
Slice each cucumber in half lengthwise, and then into quarters. Slice each quarter on the diagonal in thin slices. Place in a large bowl along with the mâche, mint and cilantro. Just before serving, pour the dressing over the greens, and mix gently. Place the salad on a large platter, sprinkle with the nigella seeds and serve, with the oil drizzled on top.

Ratings

4 out of 5

239 user ratings

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Comments

E7 years ago

There are lots of common names for the seeds of Nigella sativa: black caraway, black cumin, fennel flower seeds, Roman coriander seed, etc. Nigella seed is an essential component of panch phoron, the classic Bengali 5-spice mixture, so you should be able to find it at almost any Indian or Bangladeshi grocer, where it may be labeled as "kalonji."

Penelopek7 years ago

What are nigella seeds?

Timbo7 years ago

Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise. Cut each half lengthwise again, for 4 long pieces. Chef calls for thin slices on the diagonal which is tricky, but important. Cutting the cucumber pieces at a 90 degree angle would result in small dice which is visually unappealing. Instead you must cut each piece at a long angle. Look closely at the photo and you will see the pieces of cucumber cut thinly and about 1.5 inches in length. Adjust your cutting angle to achieve this piece length. Its food math!

quaas3 days ago

Very nice. I added some feta to it. Dressing should be added just before serving. Greens are delicate and wilt rapidly.

quaas4 days ago

Nice. Needs a bit of spicing. Served with salmon.

Liz2 years ago

I made this with purslane and it was unusual and amazing. We loved it. It was my introduction to purslane (which appeared in a CSA share) and I had enough for two tries. The first time I just used the leaves; the second time, I included some of the chopped stem, which added a nice sour touch. (Purslane, like sorrel, is high in oxalic acid.)

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