Carlo Crivelli (c 1435–1495), The Virgin and Child (c 1480), Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Cucumbers. As much as people might complain about their indigestibility (cuke burps from the peel), they have a rather long and glorious history. Cultivation can be traced back to ancient Ur; their presence graces the Old Testament; and when they spread from India into ancient Rome, they quickly became an irresistible favorite.
Medieval painter Carlo Crivelli depicts them prominently in numerous works on various religious themes. Food and art historian Gillian Riley tells us that cucumbers symbolize Christ’s purity and chastity, while the apple, with which it is often paired, conveys the fecundity of the Virgin (repurposed after that incident in Eden).
The cucumber is also part of the story of the Prophet Jonah. After he is regurgitated by the whale, he begrudgingly goes to Nineveh to do God’s bidding. The townspeople there were pretty impressed by Jonah’s arrival, having a sea-oriented religious system, so at his warning, they repent their wickedness. This leaves Jonah rather grumpy, because Nineveh was a threat to Israel, and now God is not going to destroy them. Working in mysterious ways, as he is wont to do, God causes a gourd plant (the Cucumis sativus - cucumber - is in the cucbubitaceae - gourd family, bear with me), to grow quickly to shade the mopey Jonah on a particularly hot day. But then, just when Jonah was getting comfortable, God sends a worm to devour the plant. The lesson is that cucumbers should not be taken for granted. They are a godsend, and smooth-skinned burp-less cultivars are now widely available, so there is no reason to disdain them anymore.
In my own small, prosaic way, I celebrate them in this recipe for a refreshingly cool summer soup.
Ingredients
300 g smooth-peel cucumbers
1/2 ripe avocado
1 1/2 cups goats milk whole fat yogurt (or other high quality)
1 small garlic clove, smashed
1 scallion with half of the green stalk
Jalapeño to taste
1/2 cup packed parsley
1 tbsp mint leaves
1/4 cup wild fennel fronds or fresh dill
4 anchovy fillets (or more to taste)
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
Coarsely chopped fresh fennel fronds or dill to garnish
Homemade garlic croutons
Instructions
Place all of the ingredients except the last four in a container and blend until very smooth, adding water as necessary to achieve the desired consistency.
Test for salt.
Pour into single bowls and adorn with fresh herbs, black pepper, and olive oil.
Serve with toasted croutons and optional crumbled feta.
Good freshly made or the next day.
The Last Supper with Avocado, after Leonardo da Vinci, 1495
The Creation of Adam with Avocado, after Michelangelo, 1512