Recipe: Baked Cucumbers with Bacon — Little Market

Recipe: Baked Cucumbers with Bacon

Another summer is here, and along with this comes gardens that are literally begging for all of the fresh produce to be put into some useful application. Among the summer standards is the lowly cucumber. In this article, I'm going to share one of my favorite recipes that takes the cucumber from the everyday raw crunch into the realm of the cooked—and seriously good: baked cucumbers with lardons.

A classic revisited

Although cucumbers are best known as a raw ingredient in salads or as a refreshing snack, the application of a little heat brings out their subtly sweet flavor. The French 'cucumbers cooked with lardons' pairs slices with small pieces of bacon—lardons—briefly simmered in a mixture of shallots, white wine vinegar, and cream. Simple to make, it turns this most watery of vegetables into a satisfying side dish that still allows the fresh flavors to shine through.

It's up to you

Feel free to adapt this recipe to your tastes. For more vegetables, add halved cherry tomatoes towards the end of cooking. Herbs such as tarragon or chervil will round off the flavours nicely. You can also replace the whole cream with crème fraîche or milk to make it lighter. Bacon is delicious but not essential - diced ham, cooked chicken or crumbled feta can be used instead. And above all, enjoy this version of cucumbers while they're still plentiful!

Ingredients:

To make this recipe for Baked Cucumbers with Bacon, you will need the following :

• 4 cucumbers (about 800g)

• 200g smoked bacon

• 1 yellow onion

• 2 cloves of garlic

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

• salt and pepper

Cucumbers Preparation:

startups

First, gently rinse the cucumbers under cold running water. Partially slice them to have stripes of skin so that it can add up to the visual effect; then, cut into slices about 1 cm thick.

Let a pan of water come to a boil. Blanch the cucumber slices for 5-7 minutes until they are still firm but slightly softened. Drain off gently and set aside.

This preseason cooking should tenderize the cucumbers and help their flavor. A short minute in the boiling water will help them not get mushy during final cooking.

Preparing the lardons:

Meanwhile, warm the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Finely chop the onion and squash the garlic cloves. Add to the pan and fry for 2-3 minutes, until translucent and fragrant.

Then add the diced bacon. Cook over low-medium for 5 to 7 minutes, with frequent stirring until crispy and golden. During cooking, the lardons will exude their fat that will, once in contact with the subsequent ingredients, add a succulent smoky and creamy flavor to the preparation.

Now, when the lardons are golden, set them aside in a bowl and leave the fat in the pan.

Cook the cucumbers:

Return the drained slices of cucumber to the pan with the bacon cooking fat. Sauté over a high heat for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring regularly, until they start browning off.

Add in white wine vinegar. This will deglaze the cooking juices and add a tangy note that will balance the flavors perfectly. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Then stir in the browned bacon; good stir to distribute the bacon over the cucumbers evenly. Generously season with salt and pepper to taste.

Do another 10-15 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the cucumbers melt and the flavors really meld together.

Keep an eye on the dish while it's cooking at all times, lowering the heat as necessary. This is to keep the cucumbers from burning and not too soft. They should be soft but just not entirely melted down.

Presentation and tasting:

Place the cooked cucumbers with bacon into a serving dish. Sprinkle a bit of chopped parsley on top to add some freshness and green color.

This dish is best served hot next to grilled meat, fish, an omelette, or a green salad. Its smoky flavor, which simply melts in your mouth, makes this food excel in its seasonality and warms up both bodies and hearts during cool autumn or wintry evenings.

This recipe can be cooked in large quantities, as leftovers are very good in the fridge for 3-4 days. Later, you will be able to reheat them quickly and get a very tasty garnish for your meals.

Storage and reheating:

Leftover cucumbers cooked with lardons keep perfectly well for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. You can reheat them in a frying pan or in the microwave for a few minutes to warm them up; however, do not overcook them because they will go rather soft if you do.

Variations and Suggestions:

• Feel free to mix up one or two of these variations or suggestions if you want to give the recipe a personal touch:

• Garnish with fresh, diced tomatoes for a fresher, more summery version.

• Replace ordinary bacon with grilled bacon for that smoky flavor.

• Add some toasted cashew nuts or slivered almonds for a bit of crunch.

• Garnish with a few herbs freshly picked from the garden—thyme, rosemary, or parsley—for a touch of aromatic freshness.

• Add some Espelette chilli or red pepper flakes in case you need a little spice.

• Serve quinoa or basmati rice under the warm cucumbers.

• The balsamic vinegar will give a tangy, sweet touch to the whole dish.

• Grill the cucumbers only for a few moments until the ends are caramelized.

You can also play with texture: raw versus cooked cucumbers. For example, make a warm cucumber salad so that the raw slices give some crunch, while the cooked cucumbers will be tender and add crispy bacon for textural contrast.

Cucumbers nutritionally represent a very good supply of water since their composition is primarily from water. Other very useful healthPropertyNames it packs in are some vitamins: fiber, C, K, and B1, supplying potassium and magnesium. On the other hand, the lardons are rich in proteins and fats that will help to balance, nutritionally, the dish.

You can, therefore, serve these lardons cucumbers with cooked complete peace of mind, just moderate your consumption if you're following a low-calorie diet or one that is low in saturated fats.

In case you liked this article, don't hesitate to read the one on cucumbers: Click here

Little Market