Cucumber Salad with Miso Tahini Dressing

• servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

6 Persian cucumbers, or 2 English cucumbers OR 30 baby cucumbers for spiral cut cucumbers

Kosher salt

Miso Tahini Dressing

1 scallion, thinly sliced

1/8-1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

toasted or black sesame seeds, for garnish

2 tbsp sweet white miso paste

2 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar (if all you have is plain rice vinegar, add 2 tsp honey to it)

1/2 cup tahini

cool water (appx. 1/2 cup)

Directions

Cut the cucumbers into u0022batonsu0022 about 3 inches long and 1/2 inch wide and place into a colander set into a medium bowl. Sprinkle a scant 1/2 tsp of Kosher salt over the cucumbers and rub the salt into the cucumbers gently with your hands. Allow the cucumbers to drain for 30 minutes (or at least 10 if you are in a rush).

Prepare Miso Tahini Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the miso paste and vinegar until the miso dissolves. Add the tahini to the miso/vinegar mixture and whisk to combine. Add water, a few tablespoons at a time until the dressing is the texture of a milkshake (not too thick, but not too runny).

Using a paper towel, gently press on cucumbers in the colander to release more moisture. Pat the cucumbers dry lightly with another dry paper towel. Dry the bowl completely before transferring the cucumbers back into it. Add Miso Tahini dressing a few tablespoons at a time and toss. Add the scallion and red pepper flakes, if using. Garnish with sesame seeds.

For Cucumber Spirals

Make diagonal cuts, closely spaced, into cucumber, but only go 3/4 of the way through the cucumber. Flip cucumber over and make straight cuts (as in perpendicular to the cucumber), closely spaced, going slightly beyond halfway through the cucumber. Gently tug cucumber to separate into a spiral. Once all the cucumbers are spiral cut, place into a colander set into a medium bowl and sprinkle with Kosher salt. Using your hands, gently rub the salt into the cucumbers. Allow the cucumbers to drain for about 30 minutes, then follow the above directions from step 2. P.S. This salad pairs beautifully with my Miso Glazed Salmon Bites and sliced avocado (as shown in the photo below).