Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 500 g red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 2.5cm cubes
- 300 g english cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced into 5mm thick half-moons
Lemon-Parsley Butter
- 60 g unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 4 g lemon zest, finely grated
- 20 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 15 g fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 5 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 210 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 24 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 3 g
- Sodium
- 513 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 8 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 32 mg
- Potassium
- 717 mg
- Calcium
- 37 mg
- Iron
- 1.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 41 mg
- Phosphorus
- 101 mg
- Zinc
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 122 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 21 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 79 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.13 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.07 mg
- Niacin
- 1.6 mg
- Folate
- 35 mcg
- Water
- 184 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the cubed red potatoes in a steamer basket set over simmering water. Cover and steam for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are completely tender when pierced with a fork.
While the potatoes are finishing, melt the unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the cucumber slices, kosher salt, and black pepper. Toss gently for 2 minutes, just until the cucumbers are warmed through and coated in butter, but still retain their crunch.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Transfer the hot, steamed red potatoes directly into the skillet with the cucumbers. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and chopped parsley.
Toss all the ingredients together gently until the potatoes and cucumbers are evenly coated with the lemon-parsley butter. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if desired. Serve immediately while warm.
Chef's Notes
- Cooking cucumbers might seem unusual to modern Western palates, but heating them gently in butter is a classic French technique that brings out a surprising sweetness and melon-like aroma.
- For an extra layer of flavor, you can lightly salt the cucumber slices and let them drain in a colander for 15 minutes before cooking. This removes excess water and concentrates their flavor.
- Leaving the skins on the red potatoes not only adds a lovely visual contrast but also retains valuable pectin and nutrients that help the potatoes hold their shape when tossed.
- The residual heat of the potatoes is crucial here. Tossing the piping hot potatoes with the butter and lemon juice creates a very light emulsion, giving the dish a luxurious mouthfeel without feeling greasy.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Cucumbers will lose their crispness and soften further upon reheating, though the flavor remains excellent.
Reheating: Warm gently in a skillet over medium-low heat to prevent the butter from breaking.
Troubleshooting
Cucumbers became mushy and watery
Cause: The cucumbers were cooked over heat for too long
Fix: Cannot be fixed, but adding a splash of cream and pureeing could salvage it as a warm soup base.
Prevention: Only warm the cucumbers in the butter for 1 to 2 minutes over medium-low heat. They should barely cook.
Sauce pooled at the bottom instead of clinging to the vegetables
Cause: Potatoes were not hot enough to help emulsify the butter, or too much water transferred from the steamer
Fix: Toss vigorously while still warm. The starch from the potatoes will eventually help bind the juices and butter.
Prevention: Ensure potatoes are piping hot when tossing, and let them sit in the steamer off the heat for 1 minute to allow surface moisture to evaporate before adding to the butter.
Cultural Context
While cucumbers are almost exclusively served raw in cold salads in contemporary American cooking, historical European cuisines, particularly French and Russian, frequently treat cucumbers as a vegetable to be gently braised, steamed, or sautéed in butter. This preparation pairs the comforting starchiness of the potato with the unexpected, refreshing warmth of the cucumber.
