Photo by Jake Griggs

Cucumber

We grow Tasty Jade, Market More, and American Slicing varieties.

The sections below were copied with permission from Mi Ae Lipe’s Tastes from the Valley to Bluff: The Featherstone Farm Cookbook (2008).

Storage

Supermarket cucumbers are usually coated with a food-grade wax, which allows them to be stored for about a week in the refrigerator vegetable crisper. Unwaxed cucumbers should be used within a few days.

Complementary Herbs, Seasonings, & Foods

Butter, cayenne pepper, chile, cream, cream cheese, cumin, curry powder, dill, garlic salt, hummus, lemon, lima beans, lime juice, mint, Old Bay seasoning, paprika, parsley, peas, pepper, salt, sugar, yogurt.

Serving Suggestions

• Cooked cucumbers go well with white-fleshed fish; cut them into strips of cubes and sauté in butter until tender.

• For an unusual alternative to zucchini, try thin-slicing cucumbers and deep frying.

• Make little "sandwiches" by cutting cucumbers into 1/4-inch-thick slices and pressing deviled ham or chicken spread between them.

• Add bits of diced cucumber, tomato, and onion to a chilled gazpacho soup just before serving.

• Make fun cucumber boats by splitting a large cucumber lengthwise, then filling it with cheese, onions, or meat, and broiling until lightly browned.

• Place a few slices of cucumber in a glass of ice water for a refreshing drink.

• The traditional English cucumber tea sandwich is made with thinly sliced cucumber on white bread spread with the finest sweet butter you can afford, and with the crusts cut off.

• Liven up the usual carrots and celery on the relish tray by adding cucumber sticks.

• Combine diced cucumbers, sugar snap peas, and mint with Italian dressing or sour cream for a refreshing summer salad.

Links

Cook out of the Box - Focus: Cucumbers

Cook out of the Box - Hands On: Refrigerator Pickles

Cook Out of the Box - Tried and True: Panzanella Salad (Or is it fatuous?)

Recipes

White Bean and Basil Salad (serves 4)

Dressing

2 tablespoons olive or safflower oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice or salad vinegar

1 or 2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 teaspoons dry basil, or several leaves of chopped fresh basil

Pinch of salt

Freshly ground pepper 

Salad

1 (16-ounce) can of Great Northern beans (or cannellini), drained and rinsed

1 cucumber, peeled, quartered, and sliced into little chunks

1 sweet red or green bell pepper, chopped

Several sprigs of parsley, chopped

1 small red onion or 2 to 3 green onions, chopped

1. In a medium-sized bowl, mix the dressing ingredients, grinding the garlic and salt into the oil with the back of a spoon.

2. Then add the salad ingredients and stir. This salad tastes best when refrigerated for an hour or two before serving.

Credit: Robin Taylor, Featherstone Farm CSA member

Japanese Noodle and Cucumber Salad

This recipe is from Molly Katzen's Still Life with Menu, one of my favorite cookbooks.

5 to 6 ounces of vermicelli noodles (Molly says Japanese saifun or Chinese bean thread noodles are best but regular vermicelli - thin spaghetti - also work.  You could try rice noodles as well)

6 T. rice vinegar

4 t. sugar

2 t. soy sauce

1 t. salt

2 T sesame seeds (I would lightly toast these in a frying pan)

1 medium sized cucumber- peeled, seeded, cut into lengthwise quarters and sliced thin

thin sliced scallion greens

(Note - I think a teaspoon of toasted sesame oil would be lovely added to the soy vinegar dressing.  A little grated carrot, daikon radish or even kohlrabi would be good along with the cucumber.)

Cook noodles until just barely tender, drain and rinse in cold water.  Divide among 4 serving bowls.  Top with sliced cucumbers, sesame seeds and sliced scallion greens.  Mix vinegar, sugar, soy and salt into a dressing and pour over the individual salads.

Credit: Cook out of the Box 2011 - Week 6

Cold Cucumber Yogurt Soup (Cacik)

This recipe is from the Middle Eastern volume of the classic Time-Life cookbooks of the world series. Each book came with a small spiral bound supplement - they can often be found at used bookstores for about $3.00 each.  They are all good - but I have found the Middle Eastern volume especially useful over the years.

This recipe is of Turkish derivation and will serve 2 - 4.  It is very refreshing. 

1 medium cucumber (about 1/2 pound)

2 cups yogurt

2 t. white vinegar

1 t. olive oil

2 t. chopped fresh mint

1/2 t. chopped fresh dill

1/2 to 1 t. salt, to taste

Peel the cucumber and slice lengthwise.  Scoop out the seeds.  Coarsely grate the cucumber.  Stir the yogurt until smooth and add the other ingredients.  Taste and adjust seasoning if you wish.   Refrigerate at least 2 hours.  Serve in small cups or bowls.   You may add an ice cube to each portion if you like.

Credit: Cook out of the Box 2010 - Week 8

Cucumber Lassi 

This can be served as a cooling drink with Indian food, or in a bowl with an ice cube for a refreshing summer meal or appetizer. You could even drink it for breakfast. Molly Katzen, whose recipe this is, says this "is the cleanest tasting drink imaginable."

It can be multiplied.

Combine in a blender:

1 1/2 cups of cucumber chunks (peeled and seeded)

1 cup buttermilk or yogurt thinned with a little milk or water

1/8 t. salt

2 t. honey or sugar

1-2 T. fresh mint

1 chopped scallion or 1 T chopped onion (optional)

This will keep about a week in a covered jar in your refrigerator.  You could add 1 1/2 cups chopped cooked beets,  1 T red wine vinegar or lemon juice and some more yogurt or butter milk to this and have a eye popping magenta drink or cold soup.  Beet lassi.  Why not?

Credit: Cook out of the Box Blog Focus: Cucumbers 

Raita

Excellent served as a condiment with Indian curries.

Mix two cups plain yogurt, one cup finely chopped cucumber, 1/2 cup chopped red or green bell pepper and one teaspoon garam masala (an Indian seasoning - available where Indian foods are sold)

You can also add salt and garlic to taste.  If you want to make this many hours before serving, it would be best to salt, drain, rinse and dry the cucumber so the raita does not get too watery from the cucumber juice.

Credit: Cook out of the Box - Focus: Cucumbers

Cacik (Turkish) or Tzatziki (Greek) 

These are very similar if not identical dishes that can be used as a dip, side dish, appetizer or accompaniment to pita and meat sandwiches such as gyros.

They consist of a combination of 1 cup plain yogurt; one peeled, seeded and grated cucumber; one clove garlic, 1/4 t. salt and chopped fresh mint and olive oil to taste.  Sometimes cumin is added.  Can be multiplied.

Credit: Cook out of the Box - Focus: Cucumbers

Greek Salad

Coarsely chop: cucumber, sweet peppers, onions, tomatoes.  Add Greek olives and crumbled feta cheese.  Dress with a vinaigrette made with olive oil, red wine vinegar and oregano.  Optional: add white beans.

Credit: Cook out of the Box - Focus: Cucumbers

Scandinavian Style Salad

For each two cups of cucumbers (unpeeled and sliced paper thin) add the following: 1/2 cup each sugar and white wine vinegar, 1/2 t. salt, 1/4 t. white pepper, 2 T fresh or 1 T dried dill weed.  Refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours before serving.  Drain.  Optional - add sour cream.

Credit: Cook out of the Box - Focus: Cucumbers

Raita

Raita is a yogurt based condiment often used with Indian dishes.  Raita is just plain yogurt with some  vegetables, herbs, spices or fruits added.  Here is one version to get you started:

2 cups plain yogurt

1 cup mixture of chopped tomato, onion and cucumber (peel, seed, salt and drain the cucumber first)

1 t. cumin seed, crushed

1 clove garlic, crushed and fined minced

1/2 t. salt

Chopped hot chiles - if desired

Credit: Cook out of the Box - Hands On: Homemade Yogurt

Last updated on March 16, 2012 by Featherstone Farm