lebanese cucumber, ricotta and walnut salad

Adapted from Bon Appetit magazine this recipe was so good I had to share it. I love summer and the abundance of fresh ingredients it has to offer. I also love salads that don’t necessarily have lettuce in them. This salad has crisp, juicy cucumbers, creamy, lemony-ricotta, crunchy, toasted walnuts, fresh mint and slight heat from the chili oil which all work together to create a taste sensation. I served it as a side dish last night and realized it can be a stand alone meal served with some crusty bread to mop up all the delicious flavours. As a main meal salad on its own or as a side, you can’t go wrong with this dish. Try it out and let me know what you think in the comments. Enjoy!

For the Salad

6 Lebanese cucumbers, cut on a sharp diagonal

1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese

1/2 cup walnuts

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided

1 small lemon, scrubbed

a small handful fresh mint leaves

2 Tbsp chili oil with whole chili flakes

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

Preheat oven to 350F. Spread walnuts on baking sheet and bake until lightly toasted approximately 8 minutes. When cooled, roughly chop and set aside.

In a small mixing bowl, add ricotta cheese with 2 Tbsp oil. Finely zest lemon over top and mix well. Season with salt and set aside.

To your serving bowl, add cucumbers, half the walnuts and the mint. Squeeze the lemon over top, add remaining 2 Tbsp oil, season with salt and toss together. Dollop lemon ricotta over cucumbers, add remaining walnuts, drizzle chili oil over top and season with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.