The Cool Cucumber

New Zealand Listener, Volume 34, Issue 869, 29 March 1956, Page 22

The Cool Cucumber

bers are no cooler than ) onions or lettuces; neverthe‘less, the traditional phrase "cool | as a cucumber" persists. Certainly the aroma of freshly-peeled cucumbers is especially soothing in hot weather. Many people think cucumbers _are difficult to digest, but this is often | because of the way they have been | @aten. Slicing them up and leaving them | Soaking in vinegar for some time is | simply asking for trouble; and even more so if the slices are thén placed in | new bread and butter sandwiches. But | cucumbers freshly sliced just before eat- | ing, and the bread not too new, make | delightful sandwiches. | The ideal way to eat cucumber, I | think, is to have one grown in your own /garden (or a neighbour’s) just pulled, and eaten straight away, in a salad, or even by itself and not made into salad, just as we do tomatoes; no vinegar, just salt and pepper to taste. Personally, I find them good without any condiment at all-but freshly peeled is the secret, so that the cucumber retains its greatest charm-crisp crunchiness! Don’t leave them standing with salt, either. This draws the water away from the cells, and | makes them limp; and that water contains good minerals, too. Cucumber and Fish This is a cool and pleasant dish in hot weather. Note that the cucumber is not previously put into vinegar. Into a casserole or piedish put snapper, mullet, or other fish, cut into suitable 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 a moderate oven till cooked (about 1 hour). Leave till cold, lift fish, without breaking, into ~~ ) . CTUALLY, I suppose cucum-

individual plates, garnish with lemon ‘and strain the juice over. Eat with | freshly-sliced cucumber. _Cucumber Salad Dressing | Add grated cucumber to your favour- | ite mayonnaise or salad dressing. Ex- | cellent! ' Pickled Cucumbers (Jewish Method) | I am often asked for this recipe. In a | small barrel or stone jar, put a thin | layer of salt and sugar, then grape ‘leaves. Now put the cucumbers-do not _cut or skin them. Repeat till jar is full. | Seal well; they will be ready in about 2 months. | Cucumber Relish (from "Hopey"’) One pound apples (peel before weigh- | ing), 142 lb. onions, 1142 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 till this is soft; add the minced cucumber, and boil about 5 minutes. To colour, add 2 tablespoons turmeric. Cucumber Stuffing fox Fak: 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, 34 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, 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 lb. fish. Chinese Dish with Cucumber This is an authentic Chinese recipe. You need 1 Ib. steak or calf’s liver. Slice this in thick pieces (about 1 inch thick) and place in a mixing bowl. Sprinkle over 2 teaspoons cornflour, 1 teaspoon salt, a dash of pepper and 4 tablespoons of oil or melted fat, and blend in thoroughly. Put 2 tablespoons of oil 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, stitring constantly, until brown. Remove half the peeling of 4 large cucumbers in lengthwise strips. Cut lengthwise in 4 parts, remove seeds and slice diagonally in % inch thick slices, and add to pan with 2 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 onion. Serve immediately with hot boiled rice. Serves 4. Cucumber Salad (Italy) This recipe was brought to me from Italy by ome of our Kiwis who served there. Cnt medium-sized cucumbers lengthways, scoop out the inside, mix with Italian dressing, bits of tomatoes and a couple of small onions sliced. Return to shells, and serve on lettuce leaves. To make the Italian dressing, measure out 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. Drop the oil slowly into the vinegar, beating well. Add salt and pepper to taste. If you like the flavour of onion, a few drops of onion juice can be used. Chow Chow (with Cucumbers) ’ Two quarts vinegar, 3 or 4 cticumbers, 3 lb. beans, 3 Ib. onions, ¥ Ib. salt, 1 oz. cloves, 1 0z. spice, 1 0z. peppercorns, 3 or 4 oz. mustard, 2 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 ugar, spices, mustard, cayenne, turmeric and 4 tablespoons flour mixed with the other % quart vinegar. Add to vegetables and boil till thick. Bottle.