Not only is this simple side dish spicy and full of flavor, but it’s fun to make as well! Why you might ask?  Well, a new trend for serving cucumbers in a simple salad is not to slice them, but lightly crush them with a rolling pin so that the cucumber pieces are a bit smashed and the surfaces a bit rugged. That way, however you dress these lovely cucs, that dressing is able to soak into the cucumbers better.  It is the same idea as pairing specific pasta sauces with specific types of pasta; a shape that you know will hold the sauce on the pasta so that you taste it in each and every bite you take.

(To view this recipe, click on the following link: http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/cucumbers-scallions-chili-oil)

Tagged: Bon Appetit, chili oil, cucumbers, rice vinegar, scallions, sesame seeds, side dish, smashed cucumbers