Watermelon Cucumber Cooler

-Take the rind off of and then cut up 1 large or 2 small watermelons.

-Set a large fine-mesh sieve over a large bowl or pitcher.

-In a food processor or blender, puree watermelon.

-Pour watermelon puree through sieve, pressing on solids with a rubber spatula (you should have about 2 cups juice).

-Peel then cut 1 cucumber into chunks.

-Puree cucumber and then pour through sieve into watermelon juice.

-In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir together 1/4 cup lime juice and 2 TBS honey.

-Add to watermelon and cucumber juices, along with 2/3 cup vodka.

-Adjust sweetness with more honey if desired.

-To serve, fill four glasses with ice and top each with cocktail.

-Garnish with cucumber slices.

Tsatsiki

-Peel, seed and finely dice 1 cucumber or 3 pickling cucumbers.

-Toss with ¼ tsp sea salt and ¼ tsp pepper, place in a colander and drain for 15 minutes.

-Combine the following:

1 cup plain yogurt

1 clove of garlic, put through a garlic press

1 TBS finely chopped cilantro

2 TBS extra virgin olive oil

-Press the excess liquid out of the cucumbers and stir into the yogurt, taste for salt.

Tomatillo Bloody Mary

Light and citrusy, this drink can be refrigerated for up to 4 hours. Pour over ice before serving.

-Take the skins off of 1 pound of tomatillos, then rinse them well.

-Roughly chop them.

-Peel 1 large cucumber and roughly chop.

-De-seed 1 jalapeno pepper.

-Puree the following together until smooth:

The juice from 2 limes

1 TBS sugar

A generous pinch of cayenne pepper

½ tsp salt

The tomatillos

The cucumber

The jalapeno

¾ cup cold water

-Stir in 1 cup chilled vodka.

-Refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.

To serve, stir together 2 tsp salt and ½ tsp cayenne pepper on a small plate.

-Wet the rims of 4 glasses with a lime wedge and dip each in salt mixture, turning to coat.

-Stir Tomatillo mixture well, and divide among 4 ice-filled glasses.

Thai Cabbage Salad

Combine the following in a large glass bowl:

1 head green cabbage, sliced thinly

3 carrots, grated

1 cucumber or 2 lemon cucumbers diced small

1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped

1 jalapeno, finely chopped

-Toss together.

For the dressing:

-In a small glass jar combine the following.

½ cup white vinegar

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Few dashes of sesame oil

1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari

1 tsp Sriracha

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 TBS raw sugar

-Shake well.

1 cup peanuts, chopped

-Make dressing in jar and store until ready to serve.

-When ready to serve toss salad and dressing, add peanuts last.

Sweet Corn, Cucumber, Fennel and Arugula Salad with Blue Cheese and Toasted Walnuts

-Cut 1 cucumber in half the long way and scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon.  

-Cut the cucumber into half moon shape pieces.

-Take the kernels off of 2 ears of sweet corn.

-Cut 1 fennel bulb in half the long way and then cut each half the short way into very thin half moon shape pieces.  

-Chop up a handful of basil leaves.  

-Cut ½ pint of Sungold cherry tomatoes in half or chop 2 slicing tomatoes into large chunks.

-Wash and spin dry 1 bunch of arugula.  

-Put the arugula in a bowl and top with the cucumbers, corn, fennel, tomatoes and basil.

-Lightly toast ¼ cup raw walnut pieces.

-Toss the salad with 3 TBS olive oil and some salt and pepper.  

-Then add 2 TBS red wine or Balsamic vinegar and toss again.  

-Sprinkle on the nuts and add ¼ cup crumbled Blue Cheese.

Tabbouleh

-Add ½ cup coarse bulgur to a medium sized bowl. 

-Add ¼ tsp salt and 1 cup boiling water.

-Cover and let stand until tender, about 25 minutes.

-Drain in a sieve, pressing to remove excess liquid.

-Toss bulgur with ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper. 

-Add 1 bunch of finely chopped flat leaf parsley (we like to use a food processor to chop it really well).

-Then add the following:

1 pint halved Sungold cherry tomatoes

1 peeled and seeded chopped cucumber

1 clove chopped garlic

3 TBS extra-virgin olive oil

The zest and juice from 1 fresh lemon

1 big pinch of sea salt

-Serve chilled.