What to do with Cucumbers

lecornu, Mar 1, 4:21am
I have a mountain of cucumbers and all my friends have had enough! Any recipes out there please.

245sam, Mar 1, 5:22am
lecornu, have you thought of serving cucumber as a hot vegetable!It makes a nice and different change providing care is taken to not overcook the cucumber.

HOT CUCUMBER
2 cucumbers, peeled – optional if telegraph/Lebanese cucumbers
2 onions
1 tsp sugar
2 cups water
25g butter
2 tbsp flour
¼ cup milk
saltandpepper

Cut the cucumbers into 1cm thick slices.Peel and slice the onions.Put both into a saucepan with the sugar and water.Boil gently until the onion is soft.Drain, reserving the cooking liquid, and keep warm.
Melt the butter in a saucepan.When sizzling, stir in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes.Add 1 cup of the reserved cooking liquid and the milk.Cook, stirring steadily until thick.Season well. Arrange the cucumber and onion in a dish, pour over the hot sauce and serve hot.
Serves 4-5.:-))

fisher, Mar 1, 12:02pm
Cucumber Salad
grate some ginger. zest of 1 lime. all the lime juice.1 tsp sesame.2 tbsp olive oil. small red chilli , deseeded and very finely chopped.
Peel all cucumber lengthways(discard outer peel).cool in fridge and mix together just before serving, twisting the cucumber into a tower.

fisher, Mar 1, 12:06pm
Cucumber - Corn Pickle.
8 cups diced cucumber. 1/4 cup salt .4 onions diced. 2-3 red capsicums, diced.1-2 green or gold capsicums diced. 1 cup drained corn kernals. 3 cups sugar. 1 tsp celery seed. 1 tsp mustard seed.
2 cups wine vinegar .2-3 tbsp cornflour

fisher, Mar 1, 12:10pm
Creamed Cucumber. European thing and is an acquired taste.
Peel cucumber and score down lengthways with a fork making grooves. Slice the cucumber and then quarter each slice.
Place in bowl and pour over full cream till just covered. Place in fridge to cool, then stir and sprinkle ground black pepper and sprinkle of salt.
This was used as a pudding.

fisher, Mar 1, 12:12pm
Thai Cucumber Salad
Ingredients:
1/4 cup sugar.1 tsp salt.1/2 cup rice vinegar.2 small cucumbers, sliced lengthwise.3 spring onions, thinly sliced.10 whole coriander leaves. 1/4 cup red pepper, julienne (about 1 inch long)
Method:
Combine the sugar, vinegar and salt and heat in a small sauce pan until sugar has dissolved (about 5 minutes) do not boil.
Set saucepan in cold water to cool the vinegar mixture.When cool, pour over cucumbers and garnish with red peppers.

very_hotpants, Mar 2, 7:57pm
Dip

bev00, Mar 3, 8:24am
great ideas

uli, Mar 3, 8:29am
HOT CUCUMBER
2 cucumbers, peeled – optional if telegraph/Lebanese cucumbers
2 onions
1 tsp sugar
2 cups water
25g butter
2 tbsp flour
¼ cup milk
salt and pepper

Cut the cucumbers into 1cm thick slices. Peel and slice the onions. Put both into a saucepan with the sugar and water. Boil gently until the onion is soft. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid, and keep warm.
Melt the butter in a saucepan. When sizzling, stir in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add 1 cup of the reserved cooking liquid and the milk. Cook, stirring steadily until thick. Season well. Arrange the cucumber and onion in a dish, pour over the hot sauce and serve hot.
Serves 4-5. :-)) from 245sam (33 )

uli, Mar 3, 8:29am
This is what I do often once I have already done the pickling and fermenting and more cucumbers show up:

It is a fresh salad that keeps in the fridge for 6 weeks or more.

7- 8 cups unpeeled pickling cucumbers sliced thin,
1- 2 cups sliced onions (red looks prettier),
1- 2 cups sliced red or green peppers,
2 tbsp salt,
1cup white vinegar (I use cider),
1 - 2 cups sugar (depending on how sweet you want it),
1tsp celery seed,
1tsp mustard seed,
2 tsp chopped dill or dry dill weed.

Mix cucumbers, onions, peppers, dill and salt and set aside.
Put vinegar, sugar, celery seed and mustard seed in a pot and bring to a boil.
Remove from heat and let cool.
Pour mixture over cucumbers.
Put in jars and store in refrigerator.

Will keep up to 2 months

uli, Mar 3, 8:30am
relish or chutney
chutney 500gm apples 600mls vinegar 225 sugar 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper 2 tlbsp salt 500 gms onions 725 cucumber
peel and cut apples cook in vinegar until tender then add sugar pepper salt Put onion and cucumber thru mincer mix altogether boil bottle and seal when cool
relish same but with 500 gm sugar and 1 ds sp curry powder and 2 tlbsp turmeric cook as above to colour add turmeric.
from harrislucinda (269 )

uli, Mar 3, 8:30am
liamjosh wrote:

Bread and butter cucumbers. yummy on crackers or bread with cheese and other accompliments.

2 L sliced cucumbers
1/2 – 1 L sliced onion
1/2 c salt
3 c white wine vinegar
2 c sugar
1 T mustard seeds
1 T celery seeds
1 t turmeric
Slice cucumbers and onions thinly into 2 L ice cream containers for easy measuring. Sprinkle the sliced vegetables with salt, cover with cold water and leave to stand for 8 – 12 hours, then discard salty water and drain well.
In a large saucepan or jam pan, heat vinegar, sugar, seeds and turmeric. When mixture boils add the drained vegetables.
As soon as the mixture come back to the boil, ladle vegetables and liquid into cleaned, sterilised, hot bottles. Fill to overflowing and seal immediately with seals that have been boiled for 5 minutes. Screw on bands.
Remove bands when pickles are quite cold and wash jars to remove any vinegary syrup.
Store in a cool, dark place.

uli, Mar 3, 8:31am
pickle
3 large cucumber 2 lbs onions 2 cups sugar 1/2 cup flour 1 dsp mustard / turmeric/ vinegar / commmon salt
cut cucumber and onion sprinkle with salt stand overnight put into pan, with vinegar and cook 30 mins or until tender thicken with flour mustard made to a paste with vinegar simmer 5 mins bottle when cold.

from harrislucinda (269

uli, Mar 3, 8:31am
I made this last year and its become a family favourite already.

pickled cucumbers.
2 long telegraph cucumbers
slice into rounds.put to one side
then in a pot, 2 cups white sugar, 2 cups cider vinegar, 1 tblsp plain salt,1 teaspn mustard seeds, 1 teaspn tumeric, 1 teaspn black whole peppercorns.
bring to boil and simmer for 10mins.leave a few minutes after boiling.
have jars warming in oven.
place sliced cucumbers in warm jars, and pour over hot syrup,to the top.
seal with whatever lids come with jars.leave for 1 week, then put in fridge, for a day before eating.

We are still eating them, they keep well, and are lovely on burgers or cheese sandwiches or as a wee pile on the plate with cold meat and salad.
To slice them I just used firm pressure down the chute of my food processor with the slicing blade, you need to push quite hard or they are too skinny.

from dezzie (42 )

uli, Mar 3, 8:32am
Persian salad - diced cucumber, tomatoes & onion (red if prefer). Finely chop fresh mint and make a dressing with olive oil & lemon juice & salt & pepper. Very simple, but people love this. As for amounts, anything goes really - whatever you prefer - more oil/more juice, lots of mint/not much. I just usually pour the olive oil & lemon juice directly over the chopped vegetables.

from julie_ (96 )

uli, Mar 3, 8:32am
This is my favourite relish. It keeps for a year.

Bread & Butter Pickle (9 small pots)

1.4 kg peeled and sliced cucumbers
450 g brown onion, finely sliced
2 red capsicums, cored and finely sliced
40g salt
285 g white or raw sugar
40g yellow mustard seed
1 tsp celery seed
1 tsp tumeric powder
½ tsp ground mace
600 ml cider or white wine vinegar

Layer veges with salt, cover and stand 2 - 3 hours. Drain, rinse in cold water and drain again. Meanwhile put rest of ingredients in a preserving pan and boil 2 min. Add drained veges and bring up to a boil, stirring frequently. As soon as it reaches a full boil remove from heat, pot in small jars and cover.
from davidt4 (203 )

uli, Mar 3, 8:35am
Cucumber and Pineapple Pickle

1x25cm cucumber
! cup drained cubed (pizza cut) or crushed pineapple
2 large onions
¾ cup sugar
1 cup wine vinegar
2 tsp salt
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp turmeric
½ tsp celery seed
2 tsp cornflour

halve seed and dice or slice cucumber, dice the onion. Put all ingredients except cornflour into a large saucepan ( I reserve a little vinegar to mix with cornflour later)
Stirring frequently bring to the boil then simmer for 15 minutes stir in the blended cornflour and cook a further 2-3 minutes , bottle.

from snapit (402 )

uli, Mar 3, 8:36am
Pretty Pickle

8 cups diced cucumber
¼ cup plain salt
4 large onions diced
2-3 red peppers diced
1-2 green or yellow peppers diced ( or whatever colours available )
1cup whole kernel corn ( can be omitted)
3 cups sugar
1 tsp celery seed
1 tsp mustard seed
2 cups wine vinegar
2-3 tbsp cornflour

Halve cucumber lengthwise then remove the seed (scoop out with a teaspoon). Skin can be left on (unless very tough) cut cucumber flesh into small even dices, put in large dish sprinkle with salt and stir several times over next 30 minutes while preparing onions and peppers by dicing. Put onion, peppers, sugar, seeds and vinegar in a large saucepan and add the drained and rinsed cucumber and bring all to the boil stirring constantly cook for 5 mins hen mix the cornflour with a little extra vinegar and stir into the vegetables cook 2 mins and then bottle.
from snapit (402 )

uli, Mar 3, 8:37am
Cucumber Relish

1 green jelly
1 cup boiling water
1 cup cider vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
1 med cucumber grated
1 onion grated
1-2 tsp chopped mint
Mix altogether and put into jars
from rainrain1 (7 )

uli, Mar 3, 8:38am
I've just typed this one out from Jila Dana-Haeri's book New Persian Cooking. I haven't made it yet but I think it sounds lovely.

Persian Cucumber, Tomato & Onion Salad (Salad-e Shirazi)

serves 4 - 6

300g tomatoes
200g small cucumbers
3 spring onions
1 medium sized red onion
1 tab parsley leaves
1 tab tarragon leaves
1 tab mint leaves
4 tab ev olive oil
juice of 1 large lemon
1 tsp dried mint
salt and black pepper

Wash tomatoes, cucumber and spring onions. Peel onion. Chop all vegetables into very small dice.

Chop herbs finely and mix with vegetables in a salad bowl.

Whisk together the oil, lemon juice, dried mint, salt & pepper. Combine with vegetable mixture and leave to stand about an hour before serving.
from davidt4 (203 )

uli, Mar 3, 8:39am
I haven't made this pickle yet, but it's on my 'do soon' list.
I might cut back on the sugar a little.

1 kg cucumbers
2 tsp sea salt
450g onions
900g ripe tomatoes
1 green pepper
1 red pepper
325 g sultanas
bunch fresh mint
900 ml cider vinegar
1 tsp each of curry powder & mustard powder
1/2 tsp each of cayenne, paprika, ground black pepper & ground ginger
450g white or soft brown sugar
Wash, peel & chop the cucumbers, place in a bowl& sprinkle with the salt. Peel & chop; the onions very finely. Skin & finely chop the tomatoes. remove pith & seeds from the peppers & dice. Chop sultanas & mint - can use food processor, adding a little of the vinegar.
Put the vinegar & spices into a large SS pan& bring to the boil.
Drain & remove excess salt from the cucumbers & add these to the pan with the other vegetables, sultanas, mint & sugar.
Heat gently, stirring well until the sugar has dissolved, bring to the boil. Pot & seal, but not with metal lids.
Keep at least one week before using.
Apparently this is a really delicious sweet & crunchy pickle.
from samanya (11)

samanya, Mar 3, 9:29am
I have since made that recipe ^^^ #22 . I thought it had too much cayenne at first but after 'mellowing time' it's great & would definitely make it again.