Blistered Cucumbers with Spicy Seeds

When juicy, crunchy produce hits a scorching-hot pan or the grill, something good happens. Think about blistered watermelon, pineapple, zucchini, or tomatoes. Just the part touching the hot, hot heat softens and then blisters to a char, while the rest of the ingredient stays mostly raw. That means that in one bite, you get an exciting mix of hot and cool, crunch and caramelization. With this in mind, a blistered cucumber doesn’t sound so weird, does it? It actually starts to sound good. (Spoiler: It is.)

When cucumbers are blistered in a pan, the floral freshness of the cucumber doesn’t go away; rather, it’s coupled with a deeply savory, crisp crust. They’re good on their own as a snack, with dill and red onion (like a pickle), peaches and mint, blistered tomatoes and soft cheese, or, here, a crunchy, spicy sprinkle inspired by dukkah, a Middle Eastern seasoning made of crushed toasted nuts, seeds, and/or spices.

Feel free to switch up your mix with other small, crunchy, flavor-packed ingredients you have on hand: fennel or poppy seeds, dried onion, cayenne or paprika, dried mint or za’atar, flaky salt, or even something sweet, like freeze-dried berries, dried rose, or turbinado sugar. Nuts would also work; just grind them more finely so they stick to your cucumber spears.