Cool as a Cucumber

RECIPES AND IMAGES BY EMMA GALLOWAY

Open Monday - Saturday

Chilled Soba with Pickled Cucumber, Sesame and Soy

Soba noodles are made with buckwheat flour, but most brands also contain a little wheat flour. If you are gluten free, try searching for gluten-free soba at selected health food stores, or use rice noodles instead. You’ll find black vinegar and Korean chilli flakes at Asian supermarkets. If you’re gluten free opt for rice vinegar instead of black. Regular chilli flakes can be used, but I adore the bright chilli flavour and mild heat of Korean chilli flakes.

MAKES 4 SMALL BOWLS PICKLED CUCUMBER

1 telegraph cucumber 5 tbsp rice vinegar 2 tbsp raw caster sugar 1 tsp fine salt

250g packet soba noodles (gluten free if needed) 3 tbsp soy sauce (gluten free if needed) 3 tbsp black vinegar or rice vinegar 1 tsp toasted sesame oil Korean chilli flakes and toasted sesame seeds, to serve

Cut the cucumber into thin matchsticks. Combine rice vinegar, sugar and salt in a shallow bowl, and stir well to combine. Add cucumber, and toss well to coat. Set aside for 30–60 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Alternatively, you can pop it into a lidded container in the fridge and leave for up to three days.) Cook soba following the packet instructions. Drain and rinse well with cold water. At this stage you can transfer noodles to the fridge to chill until ready to use, or go right ahead and serve. Combine soy sauce, black/rice vinegar and sesame oil in a small bowl and stir well. To serve, divide soba noodles and drained pickled cucumber between bowls, drizzle with soy dressing, sprinkle over a little chilli flakes and toasted sesame seeds.

Ciao from the team at Vetro Hamilton.

We have many fabulous new products arriving daily from the Mediterranean (and beyond) for the festive summer season. The store is changing every week, so please come and see us - we’d love to see you!

122 Rostrevor Street, Hamilton 07 974 0415 • vetro.co.nz

Open every Sunday in December!

Cucumber, Mint + Lime Ice Blocks

With just a handful of simple ingredients, you can make these flavour-packed ice blocks that scream of sunshine and good times.

MAKES 10–12

Zest of 4–5 limes 2 cups water ½ cup raw caster sugar handful mint leaves 1 medium telegraph cucumber, roughly chopped

Finely grate the zest of the limes and place into a saucepan with water, sugar and mint. Bring to the boil, reduce to a simmer and cook 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside until cold. Place chopped cucumber into a blender, strain lime/mint syrup (discard solids) and add to the blender. Blend on high until smooth. Strain mixture through a fine sieve and pour into ice block moulds. Freeze for 2 hours before adding wooden ice block sticks and freezing for a further 4 hours or until frozen. Run moulds briefly under warm water to help release ice blocks.

Emma Galloway mydarlinglemonthyme.com @mydarlinglemonthyme

Emma Galloway is a former chef, food photographer and creator of the multiaward winning food blog My Darling Lemon Thyme. She is the author of three cookbooks, her latest book Every Day was released in April 2021. She lives in Raglan with her husband and two children.