Thai cucumber cups recipe

thai cucumber cups

SERVES 2
PREP TIME: 20 minutes
COOK TIME: 15 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 35 minutes

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
½ jalapeño, seeded and minced
Grated zest and juice of 2 limes
½ cup + 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ cup cashews
1 cup roughly chopped button, cremini, or portabella mushrooms
¼ cup finely diced red, yellow, or orange bell pepper
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion
1 pound ground turkey
4 cucumbers, hollowed into cups (see below)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

The cucumber cups make this dish the perfect appetizer, pot-luck contribution, or baby shower dish, but they may be too time-consuming for a mid-day lunch. The turkey, vegetable, and dressing mixture is just as tasty over a bed of crisp greens, wrapped in a romaine lettuce leaf, scooped into a bell pepper, or spooned on top of any of our breadless bun options. It’s also delicious reheated in the morning (and topped with a fried egg or two).

TO prepare the dressing, whisk together the garlic, ginger, jalapeño, and lime zest and juice in a medium non-reactive mixing bowl. Whisking, drizzle in ½ cup of the olive oil. Whisk in the salt and pepper. Set aside.

IN a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. When the fat is hot, add the cashews and toast, shaking the pan to keep them from burning, until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board, roughly chop, and let cool.

IN the same skillet over medium-high heat, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the bell pepper, green onion, and turkey. Cook, breaking up the turkey with a spatula or wooden spoon and mixing it into the vegetables, until the turkey is thoroughly browned, 7 to 10 minutes.

REMOVE the pan from the heat, add most of the dressing, and mix well. Sprinkle the chopped cashews into the turkey mixture.

SPOON the turkey mixture into the cucumber cups and top with the chopped cilantro and a drizzle of the remaining dressing.

✪ CUCUMBER CUPS To make the cucumber cups, cut each cucumber into 3 logs (approximately 2 inches long). Scoop out the inner flesh using a small spoon or small melon baller, but don’t scoop out all the way through to the bottom, as the cups need to hold the meat mixture. Lightly salt the cucumber rounds and place on paper towels to drain.