On the hottest days, make this cooling cucumber dinner

By Melissa Clark, The New York Times

The most sweltering part of summer is the time to reach for the coolest of cool produce — the cucumber, of course.

Long prized for their thirst-quenching, sweat-stanching properties, cucumbers are a hot-weather balm all over the world, making their way into chilled soups, fresh salads and juicy sauces, or simply eaten out of hand, under the shade of an awning or tree.

Any flavor combination that sounds good in your head will probably taste good on cucumbers. Like many other gentle ingredients, they’re a flexible canvas for showcasing stronger, brighter ingredients: citrus, olives, chiles, garlic, herbs and pungent, salty cheeses like feta and Roquefort.

This recipe was inspired by the smashed, salted cucumbers that are classic in many parts of Asia and vibrantly dressed, whether with garlic and vinegar or spicy Sichuan peppercorns, chiles and peanuts.

Here, I add cubed avocado for cream...