Grilled 7082 Cucumbers with Fried Dill

Chef: Dan Barber, Blue Hill at Stone Barns

Serves 8 as a side

Ingredients

(4) 7082 cucumbers, halved lengthwise
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
Vegetable oil
Strained yogurt
Sesame vinaigrette (recipe below)
Fried dill (recipe below)

Recipe

• Preheat a ridged cast iron grill pan over high heat.
• Arrange the cucumber halves, cut-side up, on a plate. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with the rice wine vinegar. Marinate for 10 minutes. Pat the cut surface with a paper towel.
• Lightly grease the surface of the hot grill with a little oil. Place the cucumber halves, cut-side down, on the grill and cook for two minutes until slightly charred. Remove from the pan and set aside.
• Serve with a dollop of strained yogurt, a drizzle of warm sesame vinaigrette and a garnish of fried dill.

For the sesame vinaigrette:

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

• Heat all the ingredients gently in a small saucepot, stirring to combine. Set aside and keep warm.

For the fried dill:

1 cup dill fronds
Vegetable oil for frying

• Heat the oil in a medium saucepot to 325˚F.
• Drop a few fronds of dill into the oil carefully. (It will sizzle and bubble very actively.) Fry for about 30 seconds, making sure the dill does not turn brown. Remove dill with a slotted spoon and set aside on a paper towel to drain.