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Cucumber
Vine Vegetables

Cucumber

Taste Profile Cool Aquatic, Mild Melon, Tender Skin, Clean, Non-Bitter

The standard-bearer of the salad drawer. Unlike its bumpy, thick-skinned outdoor cousins, the long greenhouse cucumber is bred for elegance and ease. It possesses a smooth, thin, dark green skin that requires no peeling and a flesh that is tender and largely seedless. It is a vegetable of pure hydration, offering a cooling, watery crunch that acts as a fire-break for hot chillies and a refreshing counterpoint to heavy, oily dressings.

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Peak Freshness

Culinary Notes

To Peel or Not: With this variety, the skin is thin and palatable; keep it on for colour and nutrients. If the skin feels waxy (from supermarket coating), give it a good scrub under warm water rather than peeling it away.

The Smash: For a Chinese-style salad, do not slice cleanly; lay the blade flat on the cucumber and 'smash' it until it bursts. The ragged edges hold dressing (soy, sesame, vinegar) far better than a smooth knife cut.

Sautéing: It is a revelation when cooked. Cut into batons and sautéed quickly in butter with dill, it loses its raw crunch and transforms into a soft, succulent vegetable reminiscent of courgette but with a fresher flavour.

Water Control: It is incredibly watery. If using in a sandwich or a tzatziki, scoop out the watery central core with a teaspoon to prevent everything from turning soggy.

Health & Folklore

Contains fisetin, an anti-inflammatory flavonol that plays a significant role in brain health.

Extremely low in calories but high in volume, making it an excellent snack for satiety without heaviness.

The high water content (96%) and mineral balance make it naturally cooling for the body, hence the phrase "cool as a cucumber."
Keeper's Tip

Worthy Substitutes

Ridge Cucumber (peeled), Courgette (raw), Celery, Iceberg Lettuce.

Used in these Recipes

Mizeria

Mizeria