Cucumbers Are Plentiful

New Zealand Listener, Volume 30, Issue 762, 26 February 1954, Page 22

Cucumbers Are Plentiful

HE warm season brought on cucumbers extra early this year, especially in Auckland, and many people are making good use of them in pickles for the store-cupboard as well as enjoying them in sandwiches and salads now. As with all vegetables, the freshly-pulled cucumbers are much the nicest; but even if we buy them in shops, we should not slice them up and leave them soaking in vinegar, spoiling the crispness. Nor should sliced cucumber be sprinkled with salt and allowed to stand for some time before serving, as has been suggested as a precaution against indigestion. Salt draws water from the cells and makes the cucumber limp and_ unappetising, besides which, this water contains valuable minerals. It is best to slice cucumbers just before serving, and allow each person to sprinkle his own portion with vinegar to taste. Cucumber Relish One pound apples (peel before weighing), 144 lb. onions, 142 lb. cucumbers (do not peel before weighing), 1 Ib. sugar, 1 teaspoon pepper, 1 dessertspoon curry powder, 1 pint vinegar, 1 oz. salt. Mince apples and cook them in the vinegar. When soft, add the sugar, pepper, salt and onions. Cook this till soft, add the minced cucumber, and boil about 5 minutes. To colour, add 2 tablespoons turmeric. Cucumber Pickle Six pounds cucumbers and 2 Ib. onions. Cut and salt them overnight. Next day put 3 pints vinegar, 11 teaspoons cayenne pepper, 112 teaspoons turmeric powder, '%4 lb. best mustard (or to taste) over drained cucumbers and onions. Put in pan and cook 15 to 20 minutes. Baked Fish with Cucumber Have a 2%Ib. to 3 Ib. fish. Wash in water containing vinegar, drain and rub inside with salt. Mix thoroughly % cup melted butter or fat, 4 cups slightly dry breadcrumbs, 1 teaspoon salt, 1% teaspoon pepper, 1 small cup finelychopped onion, pinch ground ginger. Bind stuffing with egg or milk. Stuff fish, rub with olive oil or butter, and bake in hot oven about 35 minutes. Put enough water in pan to prevent sticking. Cucumber sauce: Peel, chop and drain 2 large cucumbers. Add, mixing well, 12 teaspoon salt, dash of pepper, 2 tablespoons vinegar. Or peel end grate a cucumber, and add it with 4 teaspoon mustard and 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, to 1 cup of mayonnaise. Serve on slices of cold meat. Cucumber Stuffing Simmer 3 tablespoons minced onion in 6 tablespoons butter until transparent. Prepare 4 cups day-old bread, cut into very small cubes (no crust), and mix these with 1 small teaspoon crushed dry sage leaves, *%4 teaspoon each of salt and vepper, then add a large cupful of peeled. and diced cucumber, 4 tablespoons water, together with the onions and butter, Mix all thoroughly with a fork, cover and leave to stand 10 minutes. Will stuff a 4 Ib. fish. Buttered Cucumber Cut off and discard ends of cucumber down to where seeds begin, Pare cucumber, cut into thick slices, or dice, and cook covered. in about an inch of hyiling, Slightly salted water, until tender

(about 15 minutes). Drain, season with salt, pepper and butter. Chow Chow Two quarts _vinegar, 3 lb. beans, 3

lb. onions, 3 or 4 cucumbers, 1% Ib. salt, 1 oz cloves, 1 oz, spice, 1 oz, peppercorns, 3 or 4 oz. mustard, 42 teaspoon cayenne, 1 lb. brown sugar, 1 tablespoon turmeric, 4 tablespoons: flour. Cut up vegetables and sprinkle with salt. Stand overnight. Drain, add 14% quarts of the vinegar, and boil] only till vegetables are tender. Then add sugar, spices, mustard, cayenne, turmeric and 4 tablespoons flour mixed with the other 4% quart vinegar. Add to vegetables and boi] till thick. Bottle. Soused Fish with Cucumber Into a casserole or piedish cut schnapper, mullet or other fish, into suitable small pieces, sprinkle with chopped onion, add a little spice, a few cloves and peppercorns, and cover with vinegar. Cover with lid or greased. paper, and bake in moderate oven till cooked (about % hour), Leave till cold, lift out fish, without breaking, into individual plates, garnish with lemon. and strain the liquor over. Eat with freshly-sliced cucumber. Stuffed Cucumber Peel medium-sized cucumbers, cut them crosswise and scoop out seeds. Parboil for a few minutes, drain, dust with salt and pepper, and fill with a cheese or meat stuffing. Place in baking pan, pour in enough boiling stock or water to keep them from sticking, dust the tops with fine breadcrumbs dot with melted butter and bake in moderate oven (350 degrees or regulo 4) about 40 minutes. Serve with a brown or white sauce Cucumber Salad This recipe was brought to me from Italy by one of our Kiwis who served there: Cut medium-sized cucumbers lengthweys, scoop out the inside, mix with Italian dressing, bits of tomato and a couple of small onions sliced. Return to shells, and serve on lettuce leaves. To make the Italian dressing, measure out 3 parts oi] to 1 part vinegar. Drop the oil slowly into the vinegar, beatin well, Add salt and pepper to taste. I you like the flavour of onion, a few drops of onion juice can be used. Chinese Dish with Cucumber This is an authentic Chinese recipe. You need 1 tb, steak or calf's liver. Slice this in thick pieces (about % inch thick), and place in a mixing bowl. Sprinkle over 2 teaspoons cornflour, 1 teaspoon salt, a dash of pepper and 4 teblespoons of oil or melted fat, and blend in thoroughly. Put 2 tablespoons of oi] or fat, 1 teaspoon salt and a dash of pepper into a pre-heated frying pan, Add the liver or steak mixture and cook over a moderate flame,. stirring constantly, until brown, Remove half of the peeling of 4 large cucumbers in lengthwise .strips, Cut lengthwise in 4 parts, remove seeds and slice diagonally in '%4 inch thick slices, and add to pan with 42 cup chicken bouillon. Cover pan tightly and cook over a moderate flame for about 5 minutes or until cucumbers are tender. Then add 1 tablespoon of sliced spring onions. Serve immediately, with hot, boiled rice. Serves 4.