Lemon cucumbers have no lemon flavor and their skin is slightly thicker and the center is more seedy as the fruit stays on the vine longer. Eat them when they’re more younger with a lighter yellow color so that they’re more crisp and tender.For the pesto, adjust the amount of parmesan cheese according to your preference. The more parmesan you use, the rich the pesto will be, however it will also become lighter in color. Adjust the amount of oil depending on your personal preference for how thick you like your pesto.
Prep time: PT20M
Total time: PT20M
Rating
5 stars (3 reviews)
Keywords
Lemon Cucumbers, Pesto
Ingredients
3-4 medium lemon cucumbers
2 cups fresh Italian basil leaves
1/2 - 1 cup grated parmesan cheese ((see head note))
1/4 cup toasted nuts ((pine nuts, walnuts, cashews, pistachios, peanuts))
1 tablespoon lemon juice (, optional)
2 cloves garlic (, or more to taste)
1 teaspoon kosher salt ( or sea salt, to taste)
fresh ground black pepper (, to taste)
1/2 cup olive oil ((approximately))
pinch red chili flakes ((optional).)
Categories
Salad
Cuisine
American
Steps
Slice or chop cucumbers. If the skin is too tough, peel the skin and if the seeds are too hard, remove the seeds.
In food processor: combine basil leaves, parmesan, nuts, garlic, optional lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. While blending, gradually add the olive oil until the pesto reaches your desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning to personal preference and blend again if needed.
If using traditional mortar and pestle: add basil leaves a few at a time with the garlic. Crush and grind the all the leaves and garlic until well combined. Add the nuts and cheese and continue combining into the basil mixture until a paste forms. Add the optional lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Stir and slightly grind until the everything is incorporated into the pesto.
Taste the pesto and add additional salt/pepper to taste. If you want some spice, add a pinch of red chili flakes.
Dress the pesto over cucumbers.
Leftover pesto can be stored sealed and refrigerated overnight.
Nutitrion
Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 248 kcal
Carbohydrates: 3 g
Protein: 4 g
Fat: 24 g
Saturated Fat: 4 g
Cholesterol: 7 mg
Sodium: 517 mg
Sugar: 1 g
Reviews
Lilia on 2019-08-29 (5 stars): I never would have thought of eating these with pesto sauce. This is my current favorite snack! Your pesto sauce was perfect.
Gemma on 2019-08-28 (5 stars): Thanks for introducing me to my new favorite thing... LEMON CUCUMBERS. They're soooo good!
