Cucumbers

Cucumbers are long, slender vegetables with smooth or slightly textured green skin and soft, moist, light-colored flesh. The long English, or hothouse, cucumber has thinner skin and fewer seeds than the shorter, broader variety. Small cucumbers are used for pickling. Look for firm cucumbers, without any soft spots. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks

Recipe Name: NEW PICKLE
Category: SALADS
Serves: 4

SOURCE	SHADOWS

4 cucumbers
1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced thin
3/4 Cup sugar
1/2 Cup water
1 Cup white vinegar
1/2 Tblsp dried dill or 1 tbls fresh
1 Small clove, garlic, minced

Peel and cut cucumbers into thin slices. Mix with the yellow onion and minced garlic. Bring to a boil the sugar, water, white vinegar, and dill.
Pour over cucumber mixture, and chill for 1 hour before serving.

This keeps for several days in the fridge.

Pickles are cucumbers too…

Recipe Name: FRIED DILL PICKLES
Category: HOR D`OEUVRE
Serves: 4

SOURCE	SHADOWS

1 Cup Flour
1/4 Tsp. Salt
1/8 Tsp. Black pepper
1/2 Cup milk
1 Egg
1 1/2 Cup Dill pickle slices, thin
1/8 Tsp. cayenne pepper
Oil for frying

Many people are surprised that they love this unusual food item.

Mix the flour, salt, cayenne and pepper in a bowl. Lightly whip the egg in a separate bowl. Add the milk to the egg. Heat the oil (about 2 inches) to 325. Dip the pickle slices first into the flour, then the egg mixture, and finally back into the flour. Carefully place the pickles into the hot oil. Do not overcrowd. Fry until golden brown (about 8 minutes), turning once. Drain on paper towels. Serve warm.

yes they are

This recipe was sent to me by a fellow historical researcher as authentic…

I have not verified that yet …

Recipe Name: Cucumber Soup
Category: 18TH CENTURY
Serves: 6

3 Cup cucumbers, sliced thin
4 Cup chicken stock
1 Slice of onion
1 Tblsp butter
1/4 Cup flour
1 Tsp. salt
1/2 Tsp. pepper
2 Cup milk, hot

Long before Martha Washington served as First Lady, kitchen and farm gardens had gone beyond corn, beans and squash. A great variety of vegetables were grown including artichokes, cucumbers, cauliflower, peppers, asparagus, beets, peas, lettuce, and salad greens. This enabled Mrs. Washington to serve her guests sophisticated soups such as this one.

Parboil the cucumber slices for 10 minutes. While doing this, put the chicken stock in a kettle and let it simmer. Drain the cucumber slices and add them to the chicken stock. Add the slice of onion. Cook until the cucumbers and onion are soft. Remove vegetables from the kettle and press through a strainer. Put back into the chicken stock. Now blend the butter and the flour. Add this to the soup to thicken, strirring continuously. Season with the salt and pepper. Lastly, stir in the hot milk. Strain and serve while piping hot.

Swedish Cucumber and Onions

Slice 2 cucumbers (peeled) and 2 onions.
Cover with 1/2 cup salt. Let stand several hours.
Rinse with cold water until salt taste is gone.
Mix together: 1/2 cup sugar, 1 1/4 cup vinegar, 1/2 cup water, 2 cloves crushed garlic.
Add cucumbers and onions to mixture, cover and refridgerate 24 hours.

“Stuffed Cucumber Cups” ~ by Lorac

The creamy blue cheese and walnut mixture can also be used to stuff celery and cherry tomatoes.

1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon minced green onions
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 cucumbers

  1. Using a zester, vegetable peeler or fork, score the length of each cucumber to create a striped effect.
  2. Remove the ends and cut each cucumber into 3/4 inch rounds.
  3. Using a mellon baller, scoop out the seeds from the center of each round to form a cup.
  4. Reserve 1 Tbsp of the walnuts for a garnish.
  5. Combine remaining ingredients and stir until well blended.
  6. Spoon the mixture into the cucumber cups, garnish with the remaining nuts and chill until serving time.

This recipe doesn’t really have a name. My family calls it “That Cucumber Thing Mom Makes”

3-4 cucumbers, thinly sliced
1-2 medium sweet onions, thinly sliced
1-2 cups white vinegar
2 Tbsp sugar
1 good pinch salt

Peel cucumbers if desired and thinly slice. Put in large bowl. Peel and thinly slice onion and place it with cucumber. Mix sugar and salt and sprinkle over top. Pour as much vinegar as needed to cover cucumbers. Refrigerate overnight or at least 6 hours. Remove from vinegar mixture and drain but do not pat dry. You will have some take-your-breath-away cucumber slices that are delightful in a salad or served as a side dish by themselves.

Adding cracked pepper to this recipe will make it outstanding! You can use just regular pepper but fresh grated or cracked really is good!

I made this with the addition of fresh cracked pepper. You’re absolutely right Saw9934. Even though this cucumber thing was already terrific, the pepper did give it a slightly different taste. Thanks for the tip.