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 pepper1/2 teaspoon
caraway seed15 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
