Ready for the results of our cucumber Marriage Mondays, even though it is Wednesday...So did you figure out who was the winner?? Well folks, in the event you didn't, let me reveal this week's results with recipes.
This week was somewhat of a tricky week, why you may ask? Because in theory all three of our contestants could work with cucumbers since they are such a great canvas and meld so wonderfully with a variety of ingredients. I think what is nice about the star of this week's MM's is that it showcases how versatile cheese can be and that cheese can be inserted into many different situations that you would not have thought of previously.
For today's results, I will give you an example in which each of the three contestants could work and I will in turn reveal my favorite of the three!
Contestant Number # 1 - Fromage Blanc or Fromage Frais: This young creamy cheese brings out the freshness of the cucumbers and allows them the opportunity to pop and exhibit all of the things I love about them. The fromage blanc in my mind becomes the cucumber's creamy counterpart, both exhibiting many of the same characteristics but in different forms. It is interesting to note here how the consistency of the cheese completely opposes that of the cucumber making one more aware of the crispiness of our star. These two pair perfectly in a situation such as on thinly sliced toasted whole grain bread that is topped with Fromage Blanc, some thinly sliced cucumbers, a piece of gravalax (cured smoked salmon with dill), a few sprigs of arugula and a few shavings of raw red onion -- fresh, crisp, bright, and flavorful in your mouth. You can also make this sandwich without the smoked salmon and it will be just as delish! This certainly would be a refreshing snack or open faced sandwich after a hot day.
Contestant Number # 2 - Feta: The briny, salty qualities of the feta in certain circumstances could overwhelm the delicacies of the light cucumber but in the right context, this is a pairing that could most certainly work! It is interesting to note though that when pairing with feta, you already have the built in salt content in the cheese which will coax out distinct flavors in the cucumbers that otherwise would have needed some sea salt to do the job. I think the best way to showcase a feta and cucumbers pairing would be in a salad -- such as a modified Greek salad or even a riff on a green salad. By Greek salad I mean: a nice combination of chopped tomatoes, red onions, olives, cubes of feta, romaine lettuce, sliced cucumbers, sliced radishes, some diced up hot peppers, and some olive oil and vinegar. Here all of the other ingredients tame the saltiness of the feta and become a nice backdrop for the crispiness of the cucumber. The more unique route for feta and cucumbers would be in what I call a green salad which is composed of edamame, green peas, sugar snaps, steamed asparagus, diced cucumbers, some diced parsley and basil, and some feta and red onions. This second option allows for the cucumber to be in a milieu where they will play off flavors of the other vegetables and really come into their own.
Contestant Number #3 - Cantal : Our third contestant is definitely an exercise in opposites and the hardest to actually pair successfully, you can but it is not a recommended option. Why you may ask? Well, the farmy, barnyardy, hay, grassy, and buttery flavors of the cheese are in such opposition to the fresh, crisp, green, refreshing tastes of the cucumber that it's somewhat night and day. However in small quantities and in the right situation, Cantal might be the right counterpoint to the cucumber -- in being in opposition with one another, the flavor profiles of the cucumber will be accentuated. On the other hand, I think Cantal's qualities are best shown when heated; and melted cheese and cucumbers do not form a successful relationship, if you ask me. So, how would Cantal work? In basically a cucumber carpaccio manner by slicing the cucumbers extremely extremely thin, adding some acidity in the form of a small drizzle of lemon juice, and some white wine vinegar and then a little bit of extra virgin olive oil. The cucumbers are then topped with really thinly sliced apples, I'd utilize something like a fuji apple here. This is to be topped off by some dill and diced raw red onions. The Cantal will top this is in very thin shavings, just the same thickness of the cucumber and apple. You will find that the Cantal will step the dish up a notch and exhibit more depth in the cucumbers that you might not have thought was possible. So as you can see, sometimes opposites attract!
Which one was my favorite??
Well folks, that would be number one! But I strongly recommend trying all three.
Enjoy your evening.
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