Recipe: Cucumber recipes

Hi Matt and Jane - I envy you your glut of cucumbers! How about a gazpacho (search this site for many recipes)? Or, cream cheese and
cucumber sandwiches (I like it on pumpernicke with lemon pepper)? Or, a salad with tomatoes, slivered onions and wine vinegar (I keep one going in the fridge for several days, adding a fresh tomato and cucumber to the juices that accumulate - you can add green peppers, black olives and feta for another variation)?

Here are some recipes I found for different
ways of using those cucumbers. Hope you find something you like:

Cold Cucumber Mint Soup

3 cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and chopped, plus 1 cup peeled, seeded, and finely diced cucumber
1 cup plain yogurt
2/3 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon English-style dry mustard, or to
taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
cucumber slices and mint sprigs for garnish

In a blender puree chopped cucumbers, yogurt, sour cream, mustard, and salt and pepper to taste and transfer to a bowl. Chill soup at least 6 hours or overnight.

Stir in finely diced cucumber and chopped mint and garnish soup with cucumber slices and mint sprigs.

Makes about 4 1/2 cups.


Greek Style Cucumber Dip
(serve with cut veggies and toasted pita wedges)

2 cups plain yogurt
1 English hothouse cucumber, unpeeled,
halved lengthwise, seeded, grated
1 tablespoon coarse salt
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
1 garlic clove, minced

Line sieve with cheesecloth and place over
medium bowl. Place yogurt in sieve. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to drain in refrigerator overnight.

Mix cucumber and 1 tablespoon salt in small
bowl; cover and chill 3 hours. Transfer drained yogurt to another bowl. Mix in sour cream, lemon juice, dill and garlic. Squeeze out as much excess liquid as possible from cucumber. Stir cucumber into yogurt. Season with pepper. Cover; chill at least 2 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead.
Keep refrigerated.)Cucumber Salad with Pineapple and Jalepeno
(good as a salsa with grilled chicken or fish,
or serve on top of lettuce for a salad)

3/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup 1/3-inch pieces peeled cored fresh pineapple
1 English hothouse cucumber, cut into 1/3-inch pieces
1 carrot, peeled, cut into matchstick-size strips
1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 tablespoon minced seeded jalape o chili
1 head green leaf lettuce, leaves separated
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

Bring first 4 ingredients to boil in heavy
small saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves.
Simmer until reduced to 2/3 cup, about 4
minutes. Transfer syrup to large bowl and
refrigerate until cold.

Add pineapple to syrup. Cover and
refrigerate 1 hour. Add cucumber and next 3
ingredients to pineapple mixture; stir to coat.
Line plates with lettuce leaves. Spoon salad
atop lettuce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and
serve.

Serves 6 to 8.


Herbed Cucumber Pasta Salad

1/2 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves,
rinsed and spun dry
1 cup loosely packed fresh fine dill sprigs,
rinsed and spun dry
1 cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves
(preferably flat-leafed), rinsed and spun dry
1 cup coarsely chopped scallion
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup buttermilk
1 pound small penne rigata (ridged, quill-shaped
pasta) or other macaroni
1 seedless cucumber, halved lengthwise and
cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

In a blender or food processor pur e the
mint, the dill, the parsley, and the scallion
with the mayonnaise, the buttermilk, and salt
to taste until the dressing is smooth. In a
kettle of boiling salted water cook the penne
until it is tender and drain it in a colander.
Refresh the pasta with under cold water and
drain it well. In a large bowl toss the pasta
with the dressing and the cucumber and chill
the salad, covered, for 1 hour. The salad may
be made 1 day in advance and kept covered
and chilled.

Serves 8 to 10.


ORIENTAL SPAGHETTI WITH
CUCUMBER AND SPICY PEANUT
SAUCE

1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried hot pepper flakes, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon sugar
6 ounces spaghetti
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut diagonally
into 1/8-inch slices
1/3 cup thinly sliced scallion
salt & pepper

In a blender blend the peanut butter, the soy
sauce, the lemon juice, the garlic, the red hot
pepper flakes, the sugar, and 1/4 cup hot
water until the sauce is smooth. In a kettle of
boiling salted water boil the spaghetti until it
is just tender, drain it in a colander, and rinse
it briefly under cold water. Drain the spaghetti well, transfer it to a bowl, and toss it with the sauce, the cucumber, the scallion, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve the pasta at room temperature.

Serves 2-4GREEN GAZPACHO

From Andaluca restaurant in Seattle -
substitute shrimp for crabmeat, if desired

2 cups coarsely chopped seeded peeled cucumbers
1 cup chopped romaine lettuce
1/2 cup coarsely chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup coarsely chopped onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons Sherry wine vinegar
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup (2 ounces) cubed crustless white bread
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup thinly sliced romaine lettuce
1/2 cup fresh crabmeat
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
Additional olive oil

Puree first 8 ingredients in food processor.
Add bread and let stand until soggy, about 2
minutes. Puree until smooth. Mix in 1 1/2
cups water. Transfer gazpacho to large bowl.
Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

(Gazpacho can be made up to 2 days ahead.
Keep refrigerated.)

Divide gazpacho among 4 bowls. Place
thinly sliced romaine in center of each
serving. Sprinkle lettuce with crabmeat and
chives, then drizzle with olive oil. Serve
immediately.

Makes 4 Servings