Beyond Trim: Like ‘smashed’ potatoes? Here are a few other ideas to try

STERLING — A few years ago, I tried a recipe for “smashed” roasted potatoes.

It started with boiling small potatoes until they were soft and then transferring them to a baking sheet and smashing them flat.

After smashing, the potatoes get drizzled with oil or butter, seasoned, then they go into the oven to roast. The result is a crispy disc of deliciousness. There are just so many more shaggy “edges” to capture the oil and salt and pepper. Much better than basic oven roasted potatoes.

Since then, I’ve seen similar recipes using sweet potatoes, beets, and carrots. The method seems to work particularly well with starchy root vegetables, and I have to say that I’m a fan of the whole smashing trend.

Therefore, I was intrigued when I saw a recipe for a Smashed Cucumber Salad. How would smashing the cucumbers make a difference in the finished product?

I went to one of my favorite culinary resources to find the answer to that question and learned that smashing the cucumbers, rather than slicing them, breaks up their internal structure and exposes more surface area which allows the cucumber to release more water (intensifying the flavor), and absorb more of the dressing, resulting in a better tasting salad.

I couldn’t wait to give it a try and I was pleasantly surprised at the result. Not to mention the fact that it’s kind of fun to get physical with your food and take out some aggression in the smashing process.

This is my version of the salad. If you have a favorite recipe, I’d encourage you to alter it slightly and try using a smashed cucumber in place of the traditional slices.

Ingredients:

1 English cucumber (approx. 1 pound)

1 ½ teaspoons sugar

1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt

2½ tablespoons red wine vinegar

½ small onion, thinly sliced

Directions:

Wash and dry the cucumber and cut it in half. Use a rolling pin, meat mallet, or small skillet to lightly smash each half until cracks develop. Thinly slice the cucumber halves crosswise. Add cucumber slices to a bowl with the sugar and salt and stir to combine. Let sit for 5 minutes. Stir in the vinegar and onion and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Nutrition Facts: Less than 100 calories for the entire recipe.

Sherry DeWalt is the healthy lifestyles coordinator for the CGH Health Foundation in Sterling.