ISO: ISO any ideas on what to do with a bumper crop of cucumbers besides pickling them....

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joe

Well-known member
I don't eat many pickles. I've been making lots of cream of cucmber soup but when I froze some I found it separated and even after a whirl in the blender it had a grainy texture.

Does anyone have a good cucumber recipe that freezes well?

Failing that, does anyone have a recipe for the tiny sour cornichons--the one pickle I do like a lot?

Thanks!

 
Here are a couple ideas... Dried Cucumber Chips, Sweet and Sour Freezer Pickles, Cuke Mango Salsa

I just saw a recipe in the Ball Canning Book, where you dehydrate slices of zuchini to use as chips for dip. Cukes might work well too?
I have a recipe for Freezer Sweet and Sour Pickles, which, I am assuming you do not like, but your friends will go crazy over them. They are excellent and since you keep them in the freezer, easy. I pack them in freezer bags and stack them in the freezer.
I also have recipes for the following:
Homemade Pickle Relish, both dill and sweet(once you have had homemade, you will never be able to go back to store-bought).
Jalapeno Pickle Relish
Cucumber Salsa
Cucumber Mango Salsa
Peach and Cucumber Salsa
Grape and Cucumber Salsa
Cucumber Pineapple Salsa with Dried Cranberries
Cucumber, Wasabi and Fresh Ginger Salsa
Sliced Cukes with Rice Vinegar and Wasabi
(just thinly slice some cukes, and dress with seasoned rice vinegar, sesame oil, and wasabi, or garlic chile paste, a little sugar if desired)
Cucumber Lemonade with Fresh Ginger
Cathy Z's Korean Namasu
Tzatziki
Thai Cucumber Salad
Michael's Thrills From the Hills

I can probably come up with more if you need some. Lately, I have been making this for my diabetic husband to much on; cream cheese-caper-red onion mixture on top of cuke slices, with a little cold-smoked salmon and a sprig of fresh dill, yum!

If you hadn't noticed, I love cukes!

http://www.finerkitchens.com/swap/forum/index.php?action=display&forumid=18&msgid=13

 
A stir fry rec with Shrimp and cukes, Larousse to the rescue....2 rec for Cornichons

I have nothing that I can think of where cukes are used and frozen sucessfully. You could cut them and saute them with onions- very tasty. You can hollow them out and stuff with crab salad- or try this tasty Stir fry recipe:

STIR-FRIED SHRIMP AND CUCUMBERS WITH GARLIC AND CHIVES
(serves 2-3)
A nice combination of tastes and textures.

1 lb shrimp, shelled
2 T dry sherry
1 T soy sauce
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp fresh chopped gingerroot (or powdered ginger)
3 cucumbers, peeled, halved, seeds scraped out
4 T peanut oil
1 T cornstarch
2 large garlic cloves, minced
4 T minced chives

Split shrimp lengthwise. In a bowl combine sherry, soy sauce, salt, sugar and ginger. Add the shrimp, stirring to coat.
Cut the cucumbers crosswise into 1/4” slices. Heat wok or deep skillet over high heat until very hot. Add 2 T peanut oil (or other oil -- peanut won’t smoke) and heat until hot. Add the cucumbers and stir-fry one minute or until slightly wilted. Add a little salt, stir-fry a few minutes more, and transfer to a dish.
Wipe out the wok with paper towels and heat it up again. Add the remaining 2 T of peanut oil. Stir cornstarch into the shrimp mix, add the mix to the wok, and stir-fry 2-3 minutes or just until shrimp are opaque.
Add the cucumbers, garlic cloves, chives, and soy sauce to taste.
***
Now to the cornichons:

The 1961 Larousse Gastronomique has three Cornichon recipes in it. Two are cold pack, only one is canned. I will give you the canned recipe as well as an interesting-sounding salted version. Typical of this book, you only get a vague outline, no amounts of ingredients:

Cornichons au Vinaigre

Trim and rub tiny gherkins and soak them in salt for 24 hours. Drain them on a sieve and wipe them well with a cloth, one by one.

Put them in a large basin and cover them with vinegar which has been boiled in a copper pan. Leave for 10 hours in the vinegar. Put the vinegar back to boil, adding some fresh vinegar, allowing a pint for 3 quarts of boiled vinegar (then boil it) and pour this boiling vinegar on the gherkins. Drain them, put in jars or pots with these aromatics and condiments (your choice): tiny white onions, chilis, sprigs of thyme, fragments of bay leaf, tarragon sprigs or cloves. Cover with the vinegar, seal the jars (water bath canning method) and keep in a cool place. Gherkins prepared in this way can be eaten at the end of 4-5 weeks.

Cornichons Frais Sales a la Russe

Wash 24 fresh little gherkins in lukewarm water without trimming them. Leave them to get cool in a large basin of cold (ice) water. Drain them well; wipe them. Put them in a jar, in layers, putting between each layer black currant leaves and little sprays of fennel. On the last layer of gherkins, which ought to reach 3/4 inch below the top of the receptacle, put some little shavings of horseradish and a layer of black currant leaves. Press the leaves down.

Pour salt water over the gherkins, which has been boiled and allowed to cool.

Put a little round wooden dish on top of the gherkins to keep them in the pickle. Leave to soak for 24 hours. (my comment: personally, after the 24 hour soak, I would put this in the fridge)

 
Freezer Pickles...great idea! I'd love the cucumber-wasabi-ginger salsa recipe if you can. Thanks!

Thanks, Dawn!

 
This sounds like a great first course. I'm cooking dinner for friends on Saturday...

I've already warned them that there will be zucchini and/or cucumbers in every course.

If I can't work up the courage to can, I may try the fresh cornichon recipe with some of the seasonings from the first one.

Thanks, Cathy

 
Here you go Joe, COL for a photo. REC: Cucumber, Wasabi and Fresh Ginger Salsa

Cucumber, Wasabi and Fresh Ginger Salsa #149919
recipe by Cookgirl/Recipezaar

From www.kettlechips.co. Tone down the spiciness if you wish by reducing the amount of ginger and wasabi. This is spicy-I've warned you. For a chunkier consistency, omit the yogurt.
1 cup
10 minutes 10 mins prep
1/2 cucumber, peeled, de-seeded and diced small
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely grated
1/2 lemon, juice of
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon wasabi paste (*more or less to taste)
2 teaspoons honey, slightly softened a few seconds in microwave
2 green onions, green and white parts, finely sliced
1/2 cup Greek yogurt (optional) or nonfat plain yogurt (optional)
Garnish
green onions, slices
black sesame seeds

*available at Asian markets.
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Garnish with few slices of green onion and black sesame seeds if desired.
Pair this salsa with Kettle Chips' Brand Mesquite-flavored chips!

http://www.recipezaar.com/149919

 
REC: Sesame Noodles with Sweet Peppers and Cucumbers

Sesame Noodles with Sweet Peppers and Cucumbers
from America’s Test Kitchen

We prefer the flavor and texture of chunky peanut butter in the sauce; in particular, we like conventional chunky peanut butter because it tends to be sweeter than natural or old-fashioned versions.

1 med red bell pepper
1 med cucumber
¼ c sesame seeds
¼ c chunky peanut butter
2 med cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp)
1 T fresh ginger, minced
5 T soy sauce
2 T rice vinegar
1 tsp hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
2 T light brown sugar, lightly packed
water, hot
1 T table salt
1 lb fresh Asian noodles (or 12 oz dried spaghetti)
2 T toasted sesame oil
4 scallions, sliced thin on diagonal
1 med carrot, grated
1 T fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

Core, seed and cut into ¼” slices 1 medium red bell pepper. Peel, halve lengthwise, seed and cut crosswise into 1/8” slices 1 medium cucumber.

Toast sesame seeds in medium skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Reserve 1 tablespoon sesame seeds in small bowl.

In blender or food processor, purée remaining 3 tablespoons sesame seeds, peanut butter, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, hot sauce and sugar until smooth, about 30 seconds. With machine running, add hot water 1 tablespoon at time until sauce has consistency of heavy cream, about 5 tablespoons; set blender jar or work bowl aside.

Bring 6 quarts water to boil in stockpot over high heat. Add salt and noodles to boiling water; boil noodles until tender, about 4 minutes for fresh and 10 minutes for dried. Drain, then rinse with cold running tap water until cool to touch; drain again.

In large bowl, toss noodles with sesame oil until evenly coated. Add bell pepper, cucumber, scallions, carrot and sauce; toss to combine. Divide among individual bowls, sprinkle each bowl with portion of reserved sesame seeds and chopped fresh cilantro and serve.

Serves 4 to 6

 
REC: Salad of Smoked Salmon with Creamed Mixed Pickle and Cucumber Dressing

Here’s an interesting recipe that has both cucumbers & gherkins...

razzledazzlerecipes.com/stpatricks/smoked-salmon-salad.htm

 
REC: Mixed Japanse Pickle Sticks

How about these? They are a bit different from the usual pickle...

Mixed Japanese Pickle Sticks
from The Complete Book of Small-Batch Preserving
by Ellie Topp and Margaret Howard

Mirin, a sweet Japanese rice wine, gives these vegetable sticks an interesting flair.

4 small zucchini (~ 1 lb)
4 med pickling cucumbers, (~ 1 lb)
1 piece Japanese white radish, peeled (daikon or lobok ~ 1 lb)
2 c rice vinegar
1 c water
¼ c mirin
2 T pickling salt
16 black peppercorns
8 whole allspice

Cut zucchini, cucumbers and radish into lengthwise spears. Set aside.

Combine vinegar, water, mirin and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.

Remove hot jars from canner. Place 4 peppercorns and 2 allspice in each jar. Pack vegetables into jars. Pour hot vinegar mixture into jars to within ½” of rim (head space). Process 10 minutes for pint jars.

Makes 4 pints.

 
REC: Savory Granita Duet

A couple of other ideas...Tabbouleh, Bang Bang Chicken, Panzanella...

Savory Granita Duet
from Vegetable Heaven by Mollie Katzen

“Usually a granita (an upscale shaved ice) is made from something sweet and served as dessert. In these refreshing variations, the granita has become a savory dish to be served as an appetizer, a salad course or a world-class palate cleanser. This sparkling duet looks like a bowlful of tiny frozen jewels. And needless to say, it is light, light, light.”

Cucumber-Mint Granita:

2 med cucumbers (~10 oz ea)
3 T fresh mint, minced
3 T fresh chives, minced
2 T seasoned rice vinegar (+ extra for sprinkling on top)
pinch salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper

Peel and seed the cucumbers and chop them into 1” pieces. Place them in a blender or a food processor with the mint and chives; purée until smooth.

Transfer to a medium-small bowl and season with the vinegar, salt and pepper.

Place the bowl in the freezer and stir with a fork every ½ hour, or so, for the first 3 hours. Then leave it to freeze overnight or for a minimum of 6 more hours.

Before serving, drag a fork through the frozen mixture to make ice crystals.

Serve immediately in a small glass bowl, side-by-side with Tomato-Basil Granita. Pass a cruet of seasoned rice vinegar to sprinkle on top.

Tomato-Basil Granita:

6 med ripe tomatoes (~2½ lb)
10 leaves fresh basil, minced
½ tsp garlic, minced
1 T red wine vinegar (+ extra for sprinkling on top)
¼ tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper

Cut the tomatoes in half; squeeze out and discard the seeds. Coarsely grate the tomatoes with a hand-held grater. When you’re done, all you’ll have left in your hand will be the skin. Discard it and place the grated pulp in a food processor or blender, along with the basil and garlic. Purée until smooth.

Transfer the mixture to a medium-sized bowl and season with vinegar, salt and pepper. Freeze as in the preceding recipe.

Drag a fork through the frozen mixture to make ice crystals and serve immediately in a small glass bowl, next to the Cucumber-Mint Granita. Pass a cruet of red wine vinegar to sprinkle on top.

Yield: 4 to 6 small servings

 
Not for the freezer but a quick and easy treatment I like alot. Rec: Marinated Cucumber Salad

Marinated Cucumber Salad

3 tbsp rice vinegar*
1 tbsp sugar
1 to 2 cucumbers, peeled, thinly sliced (use 1 mm Cuisinart disc)
optional: thinly sliced red onion or chopped green onion

Combine vinegar and sugar, then cucumbers and onion (if using). Marinate 15 to 30 minutes in refrigerator. Variation: also good, just before serving, to toss in some tomato wedges and smallish cubes of iceberg lettuce and combine. Yum.

Pat's note: *I often use seasoned rice vinegar and adjust the sugar to taste. This is a nice cool side salad to a variety of dishes.

 
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