Recipe · By Marc Dessein ·

Maxixe salad (West Indian gherkin)

Slices of maxixe, strips of red pepper, red onion and parsley in a glass bowl, surrounded by whole maxixes and lemon

Serves 6. Per serving, about 70 kcal and 1 g of protein.

Total time: about 20 min (including 6 min cooling)

Maxixe is a small spiny cucumber common in Brazil. You scrape off the spines, rinse the slices three times to remove most of the seeds, then dry-fry them for four minutes, with no oil, before mixing them with red onion, tomato, pepper and herbs.

Method

  1. In a bowl of water, scrape the spines off the maxixes with a knife. Rinse under running water and cut off both ends.
  2. Cut the maxixes into thin slices.
  3. Put them in a salad bowl and rinse while stirring to remove the excess seeds.
  4. Drain in a sieve, rinse again, and repeat 3 times in all until most of the seeds are gone. Leave in the sieve.
  5. Peel the onion and slice it into half-moons. Wash the tomato, cut it into quarters, remove the seeds and cut it into strips. Wash and chop the parsley and chives.
  6. Halve the pepper, remove the white pith and cut it into thin strips.
  7. In a pan over a low heat, dry-fry the maxixe, with no oil, for about 4 minutes.
  8. Turn off the heat and leave to cool for 6 minutes in a large bowl. Add the onion, tomato, pepper, parsley and chives. Dress with the lemon juice, olive oil, pepper, vinegar and salt. Mix gently and serve.