This year, my husband, Eddie, started a garden with our friend and neighbor, Vertie. Their gardens are side-by-side and, unlike me, who is wilting in the humid heat, the gardens are flourishing. There is corn, tomatoes, marigolds (to provide natural pest control) and — cucumbers!
When you have an abundance of cucumbers, either by growing them, or purchasing bushels from your local farmer’s market, the first thing that comes to mind is pickles.
Make no mistake, I love pickles! I also love the flavour of fresh cucumbers that don’t have the supermarket wax on them.
Here’s just a few things you can do with your cucumbers.
CUCUMBER MINT INFUSIONS
Thinly slice 1-2 washed cucumbers. Pluck, wash and pat dry 6-8 fresh mint leaves. Pour water (filtered and bottled works great) into a large glass pitcher. Add cucumber slices, mint leaves and ice. Stir and refrigerate. After an hour or so, the cucumber-mint will infuse flavour into the water, making a super refreshing drink for enjoying on the porch swing. It will keep refrigerated for a few days, but don’t expect it to last that long!
Replace the water and ice with vodka for a light and delicious cocktail! Put the cucumbers in vodka, cover and let sit for 3-4 days. Add mint leaves, cover and let sit for 3-4 more days. Strain. Pour into bottle and cork.
BENEDICTINE SPREAD
You don’t have to wait for the Kentucky Derby to enjoy this great, open-faced sandwich. I use the recipe from Idel Sego’s cookbook (Dining at the Whistle Stop: Kentucky Recipes & Reflections).
Voted the best non-franchise restaurant in Kentucky for many years, Idel created The Whistle Stop in 1975 by preparing good, Southern food and published her best recipes. You can get your own copy at Amazon. Idel’s Benedictine recipe is simple and delicious. A creamy spread of cream cheese and cucumbers on wheat bread.
CUCUMBER BITES
Use slices of cucumber instead of crackers or bread for small open-faced sandwiches (and they’re gluten free!). Try different combinations. For lunch, we prepared tuna salad with olives. A dollop on a cucumber slice makes a great bite-sized lunch.
They’re also great as appetizers for your backyard barbecue or pool party!
There’s also cold soups, sweet-and-sour cucumbers and a huge selection of salads. You can even stuff cherry tomatoes with a minced cucumber creation. Most importantly, share them with your friends and neighbors! Happy harvesting!
Do you have cucumber recipes? Please share them… we have enough cucumbers to try them all!
Yep, I have a couple. For a good ole southern stand-by, slice cucumbers and mild onions into a bowl and pour white vinegar and water mixture along with a bit of pepper, and a generous amount of salt over. The vinegar/water ratio depends total on taste. But I like mine good and “pickly”. So I probably use vinegar/water 2/1.
Another good refreshing one is to cut cukes into large dice size and mix them with sour cream. Add salt and pepper, and some crumbled bacon. (Hint: I’ve used real bacon bits for a quick lunch instead of frying bacon) This is great along side a light sandwich for a summertime lunch.
oh my that’s sounds delicious! will make it for the boys (again, i can’t have bacon! grrrrr it’s rough getting older when you love to eat!).
I have since found that if i lightly salt the onions and let them sit, it takes away whatever is causing so much heartburn. I might not be able to eat as many as I used to, but I certainly can have a few in your recipe! Thanks, Rhonda.
Sliced cucumbers
sliced onions
salt & pepper
water
white vinegar
Mix, refrigerate & let set for several hours.
sounds delicious! sadly must skip the onions, so i’m trying to think of what can replace them. sliced peppers? i will try it and let you know! 🙂