Quick Lightly Salted Cucumbers with Spicy Honey
A quick crunchy snack with a bright balance of salty, spiced and sweet-piquant flavours. Fresh cucumbers meet fragrant dill, garlic, bay leaf and pepper; unrefined oil adds richness, and spicy honey creates an unusual accent — softening the saltiness and leaving a pleasant chilli warmth. They're ready in an hour, and after a few hours in the fridge the flavour deepens further.
Preparation
- 1
Wash the cucumbers well, trim the ends and cut lengthwise into quarters, batons or thick rounds (soak soft cucumbers in cold water 20–30 minutes).
- 2
Peel and lightly crush the garlic with the flat of a knife; tear the dill by hand with the stems; slice the chilli into thin rings (remove seeds for a milder version).
- 3
Transfer the cucumbers to a container, jar or sturdy bag and add garlic, dill, bay leaf, peppercorns and chilli.
- 4
Sprinkle the cucumbers with non-iodised salt and add spicy honey (1 tbsp for light piquancy, 2 for a bolder flavour).
- 5
Drizzle with unrefined sunflower oil.
- 6
Seal the container tightly and shake well several times so all pieces are coated in salt, honey, oil and spices.
- 7
Leave 20–30 minutes at room temperature, then refrigerate; after an hour they're lightly salted (3–4 hours or overnight for depth), shaking periodically.
- 8
Before serving, toss the cucumbers with the released juices; optionally add fresh dill, a few drops of spicy honey or a little oil.
Chef's tips
- —Choose small firm cucumbers — they stay the crunchiest.
- —Use non-iodised salt: iodised can affect taste and texture.
- —Don't add too much salt at once — cut cucumbers salt very quickly.
- —Tear the dill by hand to release more aromatic oils; just crush the garlic.
- —Shake the container periodically so the marinade spreads evenly.
- —After the initial marinating keep the cucumbers in the fridge; the best texture is on the first day.
