Mediterranean Cucumber and Yogurt Salad With Red or Black Quinoa

• 2 to 2 1/2 cups finely diced cucumber (use a seedless variety such as a long hothouse cucumber, a Japanese cucumber or Persian cucumbers)
• Salt
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups plain Greek yogurt or drained yogurt (to taste)
• 1 to 2 garlic cloves (to taste), cut in half, green shoots removed, and mashed to a paste in a mortar and pestle with a pinch of salt
• 1 to 2 tablespoons (to taste) chopped fresh dill or mint
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup cooked red or black quinoa

1. Toss cucumber with a generous amount of salt and leave in a colander in the sink to sweat for 15 minutes.
2. Drain on paper towels (rinse first if the cucumber tastes very salty).
3. Spoon yogurt into a salad bowl and mix with garlic.
4. Stir in cucumber.
5. Add freshly ground pepper (I like a generous amount), taste and adjust salt.
6. Sprinkle dill or mint on top.
7. Spoon quinoa over salad and serve, or divide salad among 4 bowls or plates and top each serving with 1/4 cup quinoa.

cucumber, salt, yogurt, garlic, dill, freshly ground pepper, black quinoa

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016602 (may not work)