M ore recipes for cukes and onions?
Yes, of course, starting with this letter from Marysville cook Joyce Petersen. “I am 82 years old,” she writes, “and my family has been making cucumbers and onions this way ever since I can remember.
“Peel 1 to 3 (or 4, depending on size) cucumbers and slice about 1/8 -inch thick. Place them in a bowl and salt them down. Then put a dish like a saucer on top and weigh it down with a clean rock or something heavy. They will form their own brine after several hours (about 4 hours, at least).
“Rinse the cucumbers about 3 or 4 times to get most of the salt out of them. I always taste one to make sure it is not too salty. Dry the cucumbers with a paper towel. Next, slice onions (either dry or green onions will work) and add them to the cucumbers. Add a spoonful of Miracle Whip and sprinkle with black pepper. Stir well. They are delicious.”
Joyce adds, “P.S. No vinegar was ever added.”
Next up, Leslie Morrison of Tulalip tells us, “My mom and gran also made cukes and onions. I still make them, and so does my oldest daughter! We use white, yellow and, in the summer when they are so good, red Bermuda onions.
“I think Connie’s missing ingredient may be a little vegetable oil. Our family tends to like more vinegar than oil, so Mom used cider vinegar, water, salt, pepper and a small amount of oil.
“I hope this helps. I so enjoy your column and have used many of the readers’ recipes – all have been winners! We live in northern California for the winter and spend our summers here in Washington at the Port Susan Camping Club. In California, we belong to an RV group which meets monthly – I have used many of your Forum column recipes on our outings to much acclaim!”
Then, from the Marysville kitchen of Donna Boggs, we have a no-onion version, cucumbers in vinegar, that’s seasoned with cloves and allspice.
And, last but not least today, Michele R. Unger antes up with a wilted cuke concoction and says, “For Connie Webster, who wanted the cucumbers in vinegar recipe, here’s the one I always use, from my 1975 ‘Joy of Cooking.’
“I never bother with the salting and refrigerating part. I just use the liquid with salt and pepper, sometimes dill, and refrigerate the mixture in the morning and serve it in the evening. I always use onions – in fact, about equal proportions of onions to cukes. Yummy, refreshing and healthy. Can’t beat it!
“Oh! And equally good, but different, is the same recipe, when I alternate between rice wine vinegar and cider vinegar.”
Cucumbers in vinegar
Cucumbers
Salted ice water
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 cup water
6-8 whole cloves
Pinch allspice
Brown sugar to taste
Peel cucumbers, score with a fork, slice and soak in salted ice water in the refrigerator for a couple hours, until crisp. Meanwhile, for the dressing, in a small saucepan, combine vinegar, water, cloves and allspice; bring to boil, then stir in brown sugar to taste. Remove from heat and let cool.
Drain cukes, rinse and drain thoroughly. Turn into suitable bowl and add dressing mixture (enough to cover). Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours to allow full flavor to develop.
Wilted cucumbers
1 1/2 -2 cups sliced cucumbers (leave skins on if very young and unwaxed)
Salt
1/4 cup vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon water
Seasonings to taste
Chopped dill or burnet or very thinly sliced Bermuda onion rings
Turn sliced cucumbers into a suitable bowl, salt and weight. Refrigerate 2 hours. Rinse in cold water, drain and dry. Place cucumbers in a bowl and toss them in vinegar, the sugar dissolved in the 1 tablespoon water, and seasonings. Chill 1 to 2 hours, then serve garnished with chopped dill or burnet or onion rings. Makes 3 servings.
The next Forum will appear in Wednesday’s Food section.
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