Cool as a Cucumber
By Amanda Formaro - The Family Corner
| Cucumbers! So cool and refreshing. What to do with all of those
cucumbers now that harvest time has arrived? Put your fresh cucumbers to
work with these great recipes. |
SALADS
Aristocrat's Antipasto
unpeeled cucumber, thinly sliced
pitted ripe olives
sliced mushrooms
Italian-style dressing
cherry peppers
Swiss cheese slices, cut in strips
Marinate cucumber, olives, & mushrooms in dressing for several hours;
drain. Arrange marinated vegetables on platter with cherry peppers &
cheese strips.
Unusual Jell-O Salad
1 cup water, boiled
4 serving package of lime or lemon Jell-O
1 cup Miracle Whip
1 cup cottage cheese
1 medium cucumber, peeled & grated
1 medium onion, chopped
Dissolve Jell-O in boiling water. Once dissolved, add Miracle Whip,
cottage cheese, grated cucumber, and onion. Stir well and chill until
firm. This is a very tasty salad to serve with ham.
Couscous Salad
2 - 3 cups cooked couscous or other small pasta shape
2 scallions , green and white parts, thinly sliced
1 cucumber, seeded and finely diced
1 medium tomato, finely diced
1/2 cup seedless grapes, cut in half
1/2 cup grated mozzarella
1/2 cup olive oil
3 Tbs red wine vinegar
1 Tbs curry powder
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup slivered almonds
Combine the couscous, scallions, cucumber, tomato, grapes, and optional
mozzarella in a bowl. Whisk together the oil, vinegar, curry powder,
salt, and pepper, and pour over the couscous mixture. Toss gently to
combine. Sprinkle with slivered almonds and serve chilled or at room
temperature.
Serves 4 to 6.
APPETIZERS
Cucumber Dill Dip
1 medium cucumber
1/4 tsp white pepper
2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped OR
2 tsp dried dill, crushed
1 1/2 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup green bell pepper, diced
Peel, seed and finely dice the cucumber. Using a colander, squeeze out
any excess water from the cucumber chunks. Place in a bowl and blend
will with the pepper and dill. Blend in the remaining ingredients and
mix thoroughly. Cover and chill. Makes about 3 cups of dip.
Dipper suggestions: Broccoli, Cauliflower, Radishes, Carrots, Onion
Crackers
Decorative Cucumbers
Cut off both ends of a cucumber. With a potato peeler, peel one strip
all the way down the cucumber Move over about the width of the strip you
just peeled and leave the skin in tact. Then peel again, then leave the
skin again, causing a striping effect all the way down the cucumber.
Slice cucumber into 1/4 inch thick rounds.
Cored Cucumbers
Cut off both ends of a cucumber. With a potato peeler, peel entire
cucumber. Slice in half lengthwise. Gently scoop out the seeds of the
cucumber by loosening with a knife and removing with a spoon. Slice into
1/4 inch thick slices, creating half moons. You can also create slices
similar to donut holes by cutting the ends off, peeling, then cutting in
half, but not lengthwise. Then carefully remove the pulp with a knife.
Slice as above.
MAIN DISH
Cold Cucumber Soup
1 med. onion, diced
1 Tbsp. oil
3 cucumbers, peeled, diced
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. sugar
1 cup half-and-half
salt & pepper
Saute onion in hot oil 5 minutes over medium heat. Add cucumber and cook
5 minutes more. Add broth, lemon juice, and sugar. Boil. Reduce heat and
cover and cook for 20 minutes. Cool for a few minutes. Puree in a
blender. Add half-and-half, salt and pepper to taste. Serves four.
Easily doubled.
Poached Salmon & Cucumber Sauce
SAUCE:
1/3 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
FISH:
1 cup water
1 tsp chicken bouillon or 1 bouillon cube
1 tbsp white vinegar
1 small onion, white or yellow, sliced in rings
1 bay leaf
1 parsley sprig, chopped
1/2 tsp dill weed or one fresh sprig
pinch freshly ground pepper
2 small salmon steaks or fillets, about 3/4" thick
Combine sauce ingredients and refrigerate. (I often add a little
prepared Ranch salad dressing to taste for extra flavor.) Heat water to
boiling in large skillet (10-12"). Add bouillon, dissolve. Add remaining
ingredients, except salmon, bring to a boil. Turn heat to medium-low and
simmer 5 minutes. Add salmon, cover and simmer 6-8 minutes, or until
fish is cooked through. Lift fish out, drain, and place on serving
plates. Lift onions out, drain and lay over fish. Serve immediately with
chilled cucumber sauce.
Serves 2.
OTHER
Dill Pickles
Clean cucumbers. Prick with fork
JUICE MIXTURE:
Boil 1/4 cup of salt
2 cups of vinegar
6 cups of water
PER JAR, ADD:
1 clove of garlic
1/4 tsp chilies
clump of dill
Pack in pickles, add juice mixture. Tighten lid, 1/4 turn back to allow
steam to escape. Boil bottles for 8 minutes then tighten lids back up.
| Amanda Formaro is the entrepreneurial mother of four children. She and
her husband live in southern Nevada. She is also the owner of
FamilyCorner.com Magazine at http://familycorner.com. |
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if you have any questions or comments!