Smashed Cucumber Salad with Halloumi & Tahini Dressing
A perfect recipe for a heatwave
It’s been a stiflingly hot day, even as the sun begins to set there is still plenty of heat in the air. It’s been like this all week. Lovely for those who can escape to the beach and bask in all the sun's glory, but more challenging for those of us who have vegetables, crops and livestock to look after. I am less concerned about the latter; our cattle are a resilient breed who take changes to weather in their stride. When it’s too hot they simply gather under the canopy of our many trees. But more often than not I find them sat in the middle of the field, chewing the cud, unbothered by the relenting heat.
The vegetables on the other hand, that’s a different story all together. While we do our best to collect and store water, when there simply has been no rain, life becomes rather hard. My beloved topsoil starts to dry up and crack, plants wither and brown off. As I stand here, watering as sparingly as I can, feeling saddened by the speed in which bolting and browning is taking hold, I remind myself I am only a hobbyist and think of those who are trying to make a living from their plantings right now.
The fields that surround my vegetable garden are just clinging on to their green hue, which tells you all you need to know about how we manage this land. As my gaze stretches further it’s a sad story, bare soil baking in the heat and grasses burnt up to a crisp brown. It’s a stark reminder that as weather patterns become increasingly erratic and droughts more common, half the world’s staple diet could be under threat. As extreme weather events become the norm, we are now caught in a race against time and those who don’t adapt may find themselves on the losing side.
Ingredients
For the salad
2 medium cucumbers
2 tablespoons sea salt
½ teaspoon chilli flakes
A pinch black pepper
150g British halloumi
For the dressing
200g Grass Fed yoghurt
½ lemon, juice and zest
1 teaspoon tahini
A pinch sea salt
A pinch freshly ground black pepper
1 small bunch mint, leaves picked and chopped
Method
Begin by preparing the cucumbers. On a flat chopping board lay down the cucumbers and, using a rolling pin, carefully bash them until they have broken up well. Generously sprinkle the flesh with salt, a few chilli flakes, a grind or two of black pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice. Set to one side to allow the cucumbers to macerate and tenderise.
To make the dressing, pour the yoghurt into a mixing bowl and add the juice of half a lemon, tahni and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix well to combine. Add the chopped mint leaves and stir through the tangy yoghurt. Set to one side.
Slice the halloumi into strips and pan fry or grill on the barbecue for around 1 minute on each side, or until lightly caramalised.
Return to the cucumbers and pour away all the juice that has leached out. Take a platter and scatter the cucumbers, pile on top the halloumi and then drizzle the mound with the luscious tahini yoghurt dressing. Finish with a little lemon zest and a few more mint leaves.
Serve as the main event or a light, fresh side dish at a summer gathering.
Abby x