CUCUMBER STUFFED WITH ROQUEFORT AND HAZELNUTS

"These stuffed rounds of cucumber are both interesting and attractive. They are also very quick to make, and become a convenient side dish for a buffet table."

1 cucumber (about 1-foot long)
1/4 pound Roquefort cheese
1 tablespoon cream
1 teaspoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon caraway seed
15 hazelnuts, peeled, chopped fine
12 hazelnuts, peeled and halved

Wash the cucumber, trim the ends, and cut it in half, crosswise. Hollow out the seeds and about a 3/4-inch diameter column from the middle of both halves of the cucumber. Pat them dry with paper towels and up-end them to drain.

Break the Roquefort into a food processor, add the cream and blend on high for a few seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the lime juice, pepper and caraway seeds and blend again for a few seconds. Scrape the sides again and add the chopped nuts. Blend a final time just long enough to distribute the nuts.

Stuff and fill the tube inside the cucumber halves with the mixture from the processor, using a table knife. Force and tamp the stuffing from both ends to eliminate air pockets. Refrigerate the stuffed cucumber for at least 30 minutes.

Slice each half into 1/2-inch-thick disks and garnish each disk with a halved hazelnut. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

TO MAKE AHEAD:
The cucumber may be stuffed one day in advance, refrigerated, and sliced just before serving.

Makes 24 stuffed slices
Adapted from source: Curries & Bugles: A Memoir & Cookbook of the British Raj by Jennifer Brennan