Heirloom lemon cucumber salad, from round, yellow lemon cucumbers, with lemon dressing is the perfect serving size cucumber for a single salad.
What Are Lemon Cucumbers?
Having received a gift packet of lemon cucumber seeds, I thought it was just a clever name for a cucumber.
It soon became apparent that these bright yellow ‘round’ cucumbers were far more than what their name implied.
These hearty growing cucumbers grow to look just like lemons or yellow tennis balls, but are juicier then regular cucumbers. Smitten from the first one on the vine.
What Do Heirloom Lemon Cucumbers Taste Like?
Sweet and not sour, is what lemon cucumbers taste like. I’m guessing the name for these cucumbers came from their appearance.
From the moment I cut open my first lemon cucumber, plucked off my vines, I knew these had to be an heirloom variety.
Lots of large seeds. We’ve become a nation of seedless, man-handled, genetically modified fruit and veggie consumers. It was nice to see a cucumber much like I remember them, as a kid.
The large seeds are sweet and delicate in texture. Also easy to extract and dry for next year’s garden.
Heirloom Cucumbers
Heirloom fruits or veggies are all about saving a few seeds, from inside the produce, to dry for next year’s planting.
Lemon Cucumbers are considered to be heirloom because they have been produced in this way since about the 1800’s,
I intend to do the same with a few of the gorgeous yellow balls I am plucking off my vines and then eat the rest!
Lemon Cucumber Salad
No, this is not a cucumber salad with lemon squeezed on them, like my Tzatziki cucumber salad is.
Cucumber salad or cold cucumber soup, this summer in my kitchen, is going to be made from these whimsical lemon cucumbers.
From the moment I sliced them, smelled and tasted them, I had to create a salad that would showcase them. Nothing else in the salad, simply these cucumbers with a few fresh herbs.
Lemon verbena growing in my garden, along with some basil, was the perfect herb combo to accompany the juicy, mild taste of the lemon cucumber.
How To Make Heirloom Lemon Cucumber Salad
Peeling these plump cuties just like I do an apple and slicing them on the round, exposed their beauty the best.
Whisking a dressing of lemon, garlic and olive oil, my most favorite Lemon Salad Dressing, is gently drizzled across the tops.
Fresh herbs are always a must on a homegrown salad! The two varieties of basil I have growing are perfect for color and flavor, while the lemon verbena imparts an extra citrus flavor.
Equipment Needed
- Cutting board
- Chopping knife
- Citrus press
- Measuring spoons
- 2 individual serving plates
- Small cup – for mixing the dressing
Ingredients Needed
- Lemon cucumber
- Lemon
- Garlic
- Olive oil
- Fresh herbs – basil and/or lemon verbena
- Salt and pepper
Heirloom Lemon Cucumber Salad
Course: Lifestyle, Salads and VeggiesCuisine: Garden to Table2
servingsSweet, round and juicy heirloom lemon cucumbers make for the perfect single salad or two.
Ingredients
Lemon Cucumber – 1 large or 2 small
Lemon – 1
Garlic – 1 clove
Olive oil – 1 tsp
Fresh herbs – 2 tbsp (lemon verbena and/or basil)
Salt and pepper – to taste
Directions
- Gently peel the lemon cucumber, as you would an apple. Slice into thin round pieces. Display on the plate to be served on.
- Thinly slice half of the lemon and place in between the cucumber slices. Squeeze the remaining half of a lemon into a small cup and whisk with olive oil and crushed garlic clove.
- Finely chop the herbs and set aside. Drizzle the lemon mixture across the tops of the sliced cucumbers. Sprinkle salt and pepper as desired. Sprinkle the herbs and serve.
Recipe Video
I believe the table... that place that draws people to gather, is the most powerful symbol of togetherness. All that happens before the table is set, the planning, the gathering, the preparing, are all an intricate part of the dance that create the mood of celebration to share with friends and loved ones.
