Cucumbers don’t get much attention these days. Glamorous produce like fiddlehead ferns and maitake mushrooms are given premium placement in upscale supermarkets. But even in the large, commercial food store chains, the cukes are kept aside.
If this fruit that we eat as a vegetable isn’t particularly interesting or sophisticated, it is cool. Very cool. The flesh is 96 percent water so it quenches thirst quickly and efficiently.
It’s no surprise that this gourd-cousin is native to India, where the weather can be brutally hot, and popular throughout the Middle East and other countries where temperatures soar.
In the Bible, we read that the Hebrew slaves who built Pharaoh’s pyramids were given cucumbers, no doubt to stave off the effects of the sun, and that during the Israelites’ exodus across the desert the refugees yearned for some: “We remember the … cucumbers … but now our strength is dried up and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.” (Numbers 11:5-6.)
Today, cucumbers are abundant and widely available, any time, any weather. They are also inexpensive and amazingly low in calories, about 25 per medium size fruit.
There are several varieties, foremost being the garden or common cucumber, the most recognizable one, with thick, dark skin, tiny bumps and an occasional streak of yellow.
In supermarkets, they usually are waxed to hold in moisture and improve shelf-life. Most people peel the skin, even though it is edible, wax and all. The garden cucumber contains many seeds, which can cause indigestion, but you can scoop out the seeds easily by slicing the cuke in half lengthwise and removing them with a spoon.
English cucumbers (sometimes known as “burpless”) are long, slim and medium green. Sometimes they’re called “seedless” although that’s not completely true. The skin is thinner than the common cucumber’s.
English cukes aren’t waxed, but frequently are covered in plastic wrap to preserve them. You needn’t peel or scoop these. They have a more delicate flavor than the others, but are equally refreshing.
Kirby cucumbers are short, fat and light green, with thin skin.
You occasionally might see a Japanese cucumber. They’re similar to the English type, although often more curved.
Although garden and English cucumbers generally are sliced for salad and kirbys are made into pickles, as a culinary matter all cucumbers are more or less interchangeable.
You can cut them into greens, chop them for Greek salad, or slice them as a salad that stands on its own, dressed with a white wine vinaigrette or yogurt based topping. Plain cucumber salad is fine, but additional sweet onions or hot peppers would be even more energizing.
Thinking beyond salad, cucumbers make for a swell cold, refreshing soup for summer entertaining. Mince or puree the flesh in a food processor and mix in plain yogurt or buttermilk.
You can give the soup substance by adding mashed avocado or a pureed vegetable such as cooked carrots or peas. You might season with any number of ingredients that have a special affinity for cucumbers: mint, dill, tarragon or chervil, for example. Or include chopped, cooked shrimp or flaked crabmeat.
One of the wonders of the traditional British afternoon tea table is the cucumber sandwich. You don’t have to wait for teatime to make it; this little gem is a terrific summer treat because it isn’t too filling.
You can use any kind of bread, but brown bread brings out the cuke flavor best. Use sweet butter, which has a cleaner taste than the salted kind, and allows for a more pristine taste of the filling.
You can easily make cucumber sandwiches into gorgeous hors d’oeuvre by dipping the edges in a small amount of mayonnaise, then minced parsley.
2 medium cucumbers
1 large ripe avocado
3 cups unflavored yogurt
1 cup tomato juice
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 teaspoon cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
1cup ice water (approximately)
Slices of lime
Peel the cucumbers and slice them in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds. Process the cucumbers in a food processor until they are finely minced.
Add the avocado flesh and process until the mixture is smooth. Add the yogurt, tomato juice, lime juice and cumin and process until well blended.
Refrigerate for at least one hour. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. Thin the soup to the desired consistency with ice water. Spoon the soup into individual serving bowls and garnish with a lime slice.
Makes 4 servings.
2large cucumbers
1small Vidalia onion
1/2cup white wine vinegar
1/4cup plain yogurt
1tablespoon brown sugar
1teaspoon salt
1tablespoon chopped fresh coriander
4dried red chili peppers
Peel the cucumbers and onion and cut them into thin slices. Place the slices in a bowl.
Mix the wine vinegar, yogurt, brown sugar and salt. Pour the liquid over the vegetables. Sprinkle with the coriander. Break the chili peppers in half, remove the seeds and scatter the pods over the cucumbers. Toss the ingredients gently.
Let marinate for at least one hour. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.
Makes 6 servings.
1English cucumber, sliced paper thin
1/4teaspoon salt
1/2cup unsalted butter, softened
2tablespoons minced fresh tarragon
20-24 thin slices of brown bread
Mayonnaise and chopped fresh parsley, optional
Peel the cucumber if desired. Place the slices in a bowl and sprinkle with the salt. Let them rest in a colander for one hour. Drain well and pat the slices dry with paper towels.
In a small bowl, blend the butter and tarragon. Spread the butter over 1 side of each slice of bread. Cover half the slices with the cucumbers. Cover with the remaining bread. Trim the crusts. Cut each sandwich diagonally into triangles.
If desired, dip the edges of each sandwich lightly into some mayonnaise, then into chopped parsley.
Makes 20 to 24 pieces.
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