Cucumber recipes

Cucumber and Apricot Sandwiches

A summer, outdoor-eating favorite

1 large cucumber, thinly sliced

1 8 oz package of reduced fat cream cheese, warmed to room temperature

3 tablespoons fresh basil, cut in a small julienne

1/8-teaspoon salt

8 slices whole wheat or multi-grain bread

4 large apricots or 2 nectarines, pitted and thinly sliced

¼ cup assorted sprouts or alfalfa sprouts

¼ cup arugula leaves

In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, basil and salt.  Spread about 1 tablespoon of the cheese mixture on each slice of bread.  Top with cucumber slices, fruit slices, sprouts, and arugula.  Top with remaining slices of bread.  Cut sandwiches as desired and serve or refrigerate. 

Simple Cucumber Salad

1 cup vinegar

1 cup sugar

4 cucumbers, peeled and sliced thin

1 teaspoon salt

Combine vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Remove from heat and cool. 

Sprinkle cucumbers with salt and mix well.  Chill for two hours.

Drain the liquid from the cucumbers and then add the cooled vinegar/sugar mixture.  Mix well and serve, or cool for a day or so to meld flavors.

Cucumber Yogurt Salad

Chopped cucumbers

Plain yogurt

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Mix these four things together for a refreshing salad.

Cucumber Curry Side Dish

4 cucumbers, grated and drained

2 tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons curry powder

Sauté cucumbers for a few minutes in butter.   Sprinkle curry powder over cucumbers and mix.  Serve

Cucumber Grape Salad

¾ cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon wine vinegar

Salt and freshly ground pepper

3 cucumbers, perhaps peeled, but thinly sliced

½ lb seedless grapes

Lightly whip the cream.  Add the next three ingredients and salt and pepper.  Mix this dressing with the cucumbers and grapes.

Asian Sweet Cucumbers

2-3 tablespoons soy sauce

4 tablespoons white vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

4 sliced cucumbers

Mix first three ingredients.  Add to cucumbers and chill before serving.

Cucumber Salad

5 cucumbers peeled and sliced thinly

5 very thin slices of onion

½ cup apple cider vinegar

3 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon honey

2 teaspoons caraway seeds

Mix cucumbers and onion in a bowl.  Mix four dressing ingredients together.  Add to cucumbers.  Let flavors combine in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving. 

Baked Herbed Cucumbers

Four cucumbers, peeled and cut into chunks

1 ½ tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons melted butter

1 finely chopped green onion

1 cup heavy cream

¼ cup basil, chopped finely

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Combine cucumbers, vinegar, salt and sugar in a bowl.  Mix and let sit for at least a half hour.  Drain

Put in a baking dish.  Add butter and onion and toss.  Bake in a 375 degree oven for 45 minutes.  Heat the cream in a small pan until very hot, stirring constantly until cream is reduced to ½ its original amount.  Turn off the heat.  Stir in basil and stir for another minute or so.  Pour this sauce over the cooked cucumbers and season with salt and pepper.

Cucumber Dressing

1 cup lowfat cottage cheese

¼ cup milk

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons chopped green onions

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 ½ teaspoons prepared horseradish

¾ cup seeded diced unpeeled cucumber

Combine first six ingredients in the container of a food processor.  Process until smooth.  Add cucumber and process until cucumbers are  chopped into smallish bits.  Serve over salad or as a vegetable dip.

Watermelon, Cucumber and Tomato Salad

This is an odd but fabulous combination.

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

¼ cup thinly sliced red onion

Pinch of salt

Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 cups diced seeded watermelon

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 cucumber,  peeled and chopped

¼ cup slivered fresh basil leaves

Salt and freshly ground pepper

In a small saucepan, place sugar, vinegar, onion, salt and red pepper flakes.  Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves.  Remove from heat and add oil.  Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, place watermelon, tomatoes, cucumber and basil.  Pour dressing over mixture and mix gently.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve.

Minty Cucumber Salad

3 large cucumbers, sliced or chunked

½ cup chopped fresh mint leaves

¼ cup chopped flat leaf parsley

Grated zest of one orange (orange part only – don’t grate the white part, it’s bitter)

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Toss cucumbers with mint, parsley and orange zest.  Whisk the oil, vinegar and sugar together in a small bowl and mix into salad.  Cover the salad and refrigerate for several hours.  Toss again before serving.  Serve very cold.