Cucumbers

[Paulines7]

I really don't know what to do with all my cucumbers!  I have so many of them despite giving some away.  I picked ten of the largest ones last night.  They are not very long at about 8 or 9 inches but are really fat.  There must be at least another dozen or so on the plants that are ready to be picked.

Does anyone have any good pickle or chutney recipes which include them please?  There is a limit as to how much salad I can eat.  Has anyone ever made soup with them or tried frying them in batter or in olive oil and lemon juice?   I have a good Tzatziki recipe so that is one way of using them up but I would really welcome any recipe suggestions before I get so fed up with them and give them to the chickens. 

[Paulines7]

[galina]

Bread and Butter pickle, dill pickle or any other pickles.  There are lots of recipes on www.

for example:
http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/bread_and_butter_pickles/

This is an American recipe.  A cup = a 250mil mug

Tastes very nice, especially on buttered bread, but also with cold cuts or a slice of beef.

[Susiebelle]

I also make Tabouleh, it holds well in the fridge for a good week so can be pulled out and used with lots of salady thing or for lunch with say sardines.  I have also made a cucumber pickle this year for the first time (recipe from here last year). hope it helps!

[manicscousers]

Cuie and onion, Ray's favourite with cold beef, nothing more than sliced cucumber alternated with onions with vinegar poured over 

[Paulines7]

Thanks for the suggestions.  I bought some bulgar yesterday so will have a go at making Tabouleh. 

We had one of the largest cues in a salad yesterday but the seeds were huge so I removed them before chopping up the flesh.  It was delicious though.  I had tried one of the cucumbers two or three weeks ago when it was much smaller but it was a bit bitter and didn't taste as good.  I usually grow my cues outside but it has been a whole new experience growing them in my new greenhouse.  Instead of one or two on each plant, I am getting 20 times that amount!

I picked another dozen or so today!

[claybasket]

This is the WI recipe for cucumber relish Ive just finished making it myself,
         
                             3 large cue
                              4medium onions
                             50g(2oz)cooking salt
                              600g(1pt)white vinegar
                              175g(6oz) sugar
                               1x5ml(teaspoon)celery seeds
                               1x5ml(teaspoon) mustard seeds


   Don't peel the cue ,cut into very small cubes, do the same with the onion.
   layer cue &the onion in a bowl with the salt for 2/3hrs .
   drain well in colander.
 
   Put the vinegar, sugar and spices in a pan and stir until sugar is dissolved, bring to boil and simmer gently for 3/4mins.

   take warm jars and pack your hot mixture in to the jars and add the hot vinegar and spices, you can add red sweet pepper diced  it looks lovely with the cue very posh looking, this will be ready in 4 weeks . Claybasket
     

[Susiebelle]

Sounds good, I will be trying this one Claybasket

[Jeannine]

This probably too late but I remember many years ago serving a soup called Creme de Concombre.. I think that is right I am doing it phonetically, there is probably a recipe on the net, if not get back to me if interested and I will search a couple of my very old books XX Jeannine

Just had a look on the net, there are lots, all in French but Google can translate, I read a few, they vary a  but most are chicken stock, onion, cukes, milk, parsey and seasonings.. very quick to cook.

Just had another look, boy am I daft or what.. English is of course Cream of Cucumber and there are lots of them too including a Julia Cjild one

[tlc]

There are some recipes for cucumber curry on the internet - I tried one from this blog (http://vegeyum.wordpress.com/2007/10/31/cool-as-a-cucumber-a-curry-to-die-for/)
and it was really good:


Olan – Cucumber cooked with Lentils
Source : Adapted from Madhur Jaffrey's Flavours of India (See Bookshelf for details)
Cuisine: Indian
Prep time: 5 mins
Cooking time: 15 mins
Serves: 2 – 4 people, depending how you use it

ingredients
50 g masoor dal (red lentils)
1.25 cups coconut milk, well stirred
500g cucumber (or cucumber and zucchini), cut crosswise into 2.5cm pieces
2 – 4 fresh green chillies, cut into half lengthwise
salt to taste

for tarka
8 – 10 curry leaves
2 tspn black mustard seeds
1 Tblspn ghee

method
Wash the lentils in several changes of water, or place in a sieve and shake under a running tap until water runs clear.

Pour 1/2 cup of the coconut milk and 1.75 cups water into a medium sized pan. Add the lentils, bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 10 – 15 minutes. The lentils should be almost cooked at this stage.

Add the cucumber, chillies and salt. Cook over low heat for 5 – 10 minutes until the cucumber is tender.

Meanwhile, heat the ghee in a separate pan and add the black mustard seeds and curry leaves. Pop the mustard seeds and then empty the contents of the pan into the lentils and cucumber.

Add the remainder of the coconut milk, stir through and cook on a higher heat for 3 – 5 minutes until the sauce thickens.