6 braised cucumber recipes

Pork-stuffed cucumber rounds deep-fried until crisp, then braised in a savory soy-sherry sauce with sesame oil. A stunning Chinese appetizer or main dish.

Saffron-braised lamb shoulder served over herb couscous with cucumber, red pepper, and fresh mint. A North African-inspired one-pot meal with bright, herby accompaniments.

German-style filled cucumbers stuffed with seasoned ground beef, tied together, and braised with bacon and onion in a cornstarch-thickened gravy.

Veal braised with onions and cucumber, topped with crumbled sheep cheese, fresh dill, and tomato. Balkan-style stew served with warm flatbread.

Braised chicken quarters with cooked cucumber chunks, mushrooms, and sherry in a creamy sour cream sauce. An unusual European-style chicken dish with a surprising star ingredient.

Veal chops in spicy sauce: braised with cumin, saffron, coriander, and cayenne, then finished with a cool cucumber-yogurt spoon sauce. Warm spice meets bright tang in one Dutch oven.