Equipment
Ingredients
Herbed Yogurt Base
- 300 g whole milk greek yogurt, cold
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 10 g fresh dill, finely chopped
- 10 g fresh mint, finely chopped
- 10 g fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 garlic, grated
- 3 g kosher salt
Spicy Marinated Cucumbers
- 400 g persian cucumbers, sliced into 1cm rounds
- 30 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 3 g aleppo pepper
- 10 ml white wine vinegar
- 5 g honey
- 4 g kosher salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 171 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbohydrates
- 11 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 6 g
- Sodium
- 712 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 3 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 10 mg
- Potassium
- 345 mg
- Calcium
- 113 mg
- Iron
- 1.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 29 mg
- Phosphorus
- 137 mg
- Zinc
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 48 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 21 mg
- Vitamin E
- 1.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 63 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.6 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.07 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.27 mg
- Niacin
- 0.5 mg
- Folate
- 24 mcg
- Water
- 185 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Slice the Persian cucumbers into 1cm thick rounds using a chef's knife on a cutting board.
Finely chop the dill, mint, and parsley, and grate the garlic using a microplane.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, chopped herbs, grated garlic, lemon zest, half of the lemon juice, and 3g of kosher salt until smooth.
In a separate mixing bowl, mix the extra virgin olive oil, Aleppo pepper, white wine vinegar, remaining lemon juice, honey, and 4g of kosher salt.
Add the sliced cucumbers to the spicy oil dressing and toss well to coat. Let the cucumbers marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes.
Spread the herbed yogurt mixture in an even, sweeping layer across the bottom of a serving platter, creating shallow swirls with the back of a spoon to catch the oils.
Spoon the marinated cucumbers and all of the accumulated spicy juices directly over the top of the yogurt base. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- For the best texture and flavor absorption, lightly smash the cucumbers with the flat side of your knife before slicing; this creates jagged edges that hold the spicy oil beautifully.
- Aleppo pepper offers a wonderful fruitiness and mild heat. If substituting with standard red pepper flakes, reduce the quantity by half to avoid overpowering the dish.
- Always use whole milk Greek yogurt for the base. Low-fat or regular varieties lack the structural integrity and richness needed to balance the acidity and heat of the topping.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Cucumbers will release water over time; store components separately if making ahead.
Troubleshooting
Yogurt base becomes watery and splits
Cause: Cucumbers sat on the yogurt for too long and released their water, or a thin, non-Greek yogurt was used.
Fix: Carefully tilt the platter and dab away excess liquid from the edges with a paper towel.
Prevention: Always use thick Greek yogurt and assemble the dish immediately before serving.
Dressing is too acidic or sharp
Cause: Lemon was very tart or vinegar was overpowering.
Fix: Stir in an extra 5g of honey or a pinch of sugar to the cucumbers before plating.
Prevention: Taste the dressing before adding the cucumbers and adjust the balance.
Cultural Context
This dish draws inspiration from Mediterranean and Middle Eastern mezze culture, where thick, cooling strained yogurts like labneh are traditionally paired with vibrant, heavily seasoned vegetables to stimulate the palate before a main meal.
