Cooking with Toddlers: Cucumbers with Minty Labne

 

There are few dishes that don’t need a major intervention after Fig’s had his way with them. For Fig, making a salad  involves squishing the life out of a few tomatoes, throwing a half head of lettuce in the bowl (that has first been mercilessly stabbed to death by a blunt kids knife) and if he can get to it quick enough before I catch him, a good half a cup of salt.

Cucumbers with Minty Labne is the perfect side dish that requires minimal parental post-processing intervention. The dressing hides what can only be described as hideously chopped cucumbers compliments of a superbly blunt knife and an over-eager two year old. And peeling the cucumbers? Aside from intense supervision on my part to ensure no accident flailings took place, it is officially Fig’s new favorite kitchen activity.

We love this dish for it’s taste and ease but also because it reminds us of abuela. Fig’s grandmother is the most amazing cook. Every one of her dishes nearly brings tears of joy to my eyes; it’s that good! I only recently realized that probably 60% of everything I cook in a given week is either completely one of her dishes or at least inspired by it. Both Fig and I are so lucky to have her!

Ingredients:

• Two large cucumbers
• A large handful of fresh mint, chopped finley
• Juice from 1/2 a large lime or lemon
• 1 cup of labne
• 1 teaspoon of olive oil
• 1 small clove of garlic, mashed into a paste
• Salt to taste

Directions:

• Chop cucumbers in small pieces
• In a large bowl combine cucumbers, chopped mint, lime juice, labne, olive oil, garlic paste and salt.
• Mix well and serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.