Cucumbers not just for salads

Cucumbers, scientifically known as Cucumis sativus, belongs to the gourd family, which includes squash, and in the same genus as melons (including watermelon and cantaloupe). Commercial production of cucumbers is usually divided into two types. “Slicing cucumbers” are produced for fresh consumption. “Pickling cucumbers” are produced for eventual processing into pickles. Slicing cucumbers are usually larger and have thicker skins, while pickling cucumbers are usually smaller and have thinner skins.

Cucumbers have been cultivated for at least 3,000 years, originating in India. They were possibly introduced to other parts of Europe by the Greeks or Romans.

Cucumbers, usually more than 90 percent water, are a valuable source of conventional antioxidant nutrients including vitamin C, beta-carotene, and manganese. In addition, cucumbers contain numerous flavonoid antioxidants. In animal studies, fresh extracts from cucumber have been shown to provide specific antioxidant benefits, including increased scavenging of free radicals and increased overall antioxidant capacity. Fresh cucumber extracts have also been shown to reduce unwanted inflammation in animal studies.

The flesh of the cucumber contains vitamins C and A, as well as folic acid, while the skin is a good source of fibre, magnesium and potassium.

Cucumbers can rid the body of extra fluids and remove toxins and other harmful waste from the body. The juice also contains a lot of potassium, magnesium and traces of sodium that work effectively to regulate blood pressure.

When selecting cucumbers they should be firm, rounded at their edges, and their colour should be a bright medium to dark green. Avoid cucumbers that are yellow, puffy, have sunken water-soaked areas, or are wrinkled at their tips.

Cucumbers should be stored in the refrigerator where they will keep for several days. If you do not use the entire cucumber during one meal, place it in a tightly sealed container so that it does not become dried out. For maximum quality, cucumber should be used within one or two days. Cucumbers should not be left out at room temperature for too long as this will cause them to wilt and become limp.

Many people remove the seeds from cucumbers before consuming, but they are edible and a unusually rich source of nutrients.

Here are some cucumber recipes

Watermelon-Cucumber Salad

Ingredients:

1/4 c distilled white vinegar

1/4 c sugar

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

4 cucumbers, peeled, halved and

seeded

salt

8 cups seeded and cubed watermelon

1/4 red onion sliced thinly

Method:

Combine vinegar, sugar and pepper in saucepan. Bring to a boil; boil one minute, remove from heat and cool. Slice cucumbers and toss with one tsp of salt. Let sit in colander for 30 minutes. Pat dry. Just before serving toss watermelon with salt in a large bowl. Add cucumbers, red onions, and pepper syrup and toss.

Cucumber Pineapple Salad

Ingredients:

3/4 cup sugar

2/3 cup white vinegar

2 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup peeled, cored fresh pineapple cut into 1/3 inch pieces

1 cucumber, peeled, sliced thinly

1 carrot, peeled and julienned

1/3 cup red onion, thinly sliced

4 cups torn salad greens

2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Method:

Bring sugar, rice wine vinegar and water to a boil in a heavy saucepan. Stir constantly until reduced to about 1/2 cup — about five minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and place into refrigerator. When chilled, add pineapple pieces. Cover and return to refrigerator for one hour. Add cucumber, carrot and red onion to the pineapple mixture. Mix well. Place salad greens onto plates. Top with pineapple mixture. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. Serve.

Filled Cucumber Appetizers

Ingredients:

1 medium cucumber

cream cheese, softened

fresh dill, snipped

Method:

Skin cucumber and cut lengthwise. Scoop the seeds out of the middle. Combine cream cheese and dill, and fill a pastry bag with it. Spiral the cream cheese down the center of the cucumber. Cut the filled cucumber half at an angle and serve as appetisers.

Cucumber Soup

(courtesy Anne Hilton)

Ingredients

2 cucumbers

2 pint (40 fluid ozs) vegetable stock

10 fluid ozs low- fat or no fat yoghurt

1/4 teaspoon grated lime rind

Freshly-grated black pepper to taste

5-6 blades home-grown chives or

1 blade chive escallion

Method:

Peel the cucumbers, scrape out the seeds with a teaspoon and discard (the seeds, of course). Dice the cucumbers. Put the diced cucumbers into a heavy soup pot, add the stock and bring to the boil; reduce the heat and simmer the mixture very gently until the cucumbers are soft.

Allow the mixture to cool slightly, then pour half the mixture into the blender with half the yoghurt. Pour this blended mixture into a large, preferably lidded bowl or jug.

Next, blend the rest of the cucumber with the rest of the yoghurt and add this to the mixture in the bowl (or jug) and stir to mix thoroughly.

Season the soup with the grated lime rind and pepper and place in the ‘fridge to chill for at least three hours.

Serve very cold with snipped chives or very finely chopped sive — escallion.

Serves 3 - 4.

Cucumber-Avocado Soup

Ingredients

1 c buttermilk

2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and chopped

1 ripe avocado

1/4 c chicken broth

2 T fresh lemon juice

1/4 t ground cumin, or to taste

Method:

In a large measuring cup combine buttermilk plus ice cubes to measure 1 1/2 c total. In a blender, blend buttermilk mixture with the avocado, lemon juice, cumin, and half the cucumbers until smooth. Divide into chilled bowls and stir remaining cucumbers into each serving.

Refreshing Cucumber Salsa

Ingredients

1/2 bunch fresh spinach, minced

1 cucumber, cubed

1 tomato, cubed

1/2 small red onion, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 lemon, juiced

1/4 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Method:

Mix spinach, cucumber, tomato, red onion, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate, one hour to overnight.

Chicken Nuggets with

Spicy Cucumber

Ingredients:

1 quart peanut or canola oil

1 seedless cucumber

1/4 teaspoon Vietnamese chili paste (or Tabasco or other hot sauce)

3 tablespoons champagne or white wine vinegar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast or thigh

Flour

1 beaten egg

1 cup dried bread crumbs, preferably panko (a Japanese variety)

Method:

Heat the oil to 350 degrees F in a heavy 2-quart saucepan.

Cut the cucumber in quarters lengthwise, then cut into 1/4-inch slices on an angle. In a bowl, toss the cucumber slices with the chili paste, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes and season with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken cubes in the flour, dip them in the beaten egg, and roll in the bread crumbs to coat evenly. Fry the chicken pieces in 2 batches in the hot oil for approximately 3 minutes for breast meat or 5 minutes for thigh meat, until the crust is golden brown. Lift the chicken from the oil and drain immediately on paper towels.

Mound the cucumber slices tightly in the center of the plate and prop the chicken nuggets up against them.

Shrimp & Cucumber Stir Fry

Ingredients:

2 large cucumbers, peeled

3 tbsp salad oil

2 tbsp minced fresh ginger

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup minced green onions (including tops)

1 pound medium-sized shrimp, shelled and deveined

salt

cooking sauce (recipe below)

Method:

Prepare cooking sauce and set aside. Cut cucumbers in half lengthwise; scrape out and discard seeds. Cut each cumcumber half crosswise into 1/4 inch thick slices.

Place a wok or heavy pan over high heat. When wok is hot, add 1 tablespoon of the oil. When oil is hot, add cucumbers and 1 tablespoon of the ginger; stirfry until cucumbers are tender-crisp to the bite (about 3 minutes). Pour onto a platter and keep warm.

Pour remaining 2 tablespoons oil into wok. When oil is hot, add garlic, remaining 1 tablespoon ginger, onions, and shrimp; stirfry until shrimp is cooked through (about 3 minutes).

Stir cooking sauce, pour into wok, and stir until sauce boils and thickens. Season to taste with salt, then pour over cucumbers.

Cooking sauce: Stir together 3 tablespoons dry Sherry or regular -strength chicken broth, 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar, 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon cornstarch (corn flour or potato flour), and 1/2 teaspoon sugar.

Cucumber Granita

Ingredients

4 large cucumbers

1/4 c sugar

3 tbsp chopped fresh dill

1/4 t salt

Method:

Peel the cucumbers, slice them in half lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Roughly chop the cucumbers and place them in a food processor with the sugar, dill, and salt. Process until completely smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the work bowl as necessary. Refrigerate until cold or overnight.

Stir the chilled mixture, then freeze in 1 or 2 batches in an ice-cream maker according to manufacturer’s directions. When finished, the granita will be soft and have the consistency of sorbet. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze to harden. To serve, scrape the top of the granita with a heavy ice cream spade or scoop, creating shaved ice crystals. Serve in small, chilled dishes.

Alternately, pour the cucumber mixture into ice cube trays, filling only half way, and freeze until firm. Before serving, process the cucumber ice cubes in a food processor until chopped and slushy. Serve immediately.

Try this light, refreshing, and unusual ice as a summer lunch opener served in a hollowed-out tomato. Or, drizzle with a little buttermilk for a very interesting summer “soup.”

Variations

Cracked Cucumber Granita: Substitute 1 tablespoon cracked black peppercorns for the dill. Proceed with the recipe as directed.

Cucumber Basil Granita: Omit the dill. Add 8 fresh basil leaves to the food processor along with the cucumber. Proceed with the recipe as directed.

Cucumber Mint Granita: Omit the dill. Add 1 teaspoon fresh mint leaves to the food processor along with the cucumber. Proceed with the recipe as directed. Optional: add 1 tablespoon green creme de menthe before freezing.

Cucumber Thyme Granita: Substitute 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves for the dill. Proceed with the recipe as directed.

Cucumber-Lemon Spritzer

Ingredients

3/4 cup water

6 tablespoons brown sugar

1-1/2 cups diced peeled cucumber

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger

2 cups sparkling water, chilled

1 small cucumber, cut lengthwise into 4 spears

Method:

Combine 3/4 cup water and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook until sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; cool.

Place sugar mixture, diced cucumber, lemon juice, and ginger in a blender; process until smooth. Cover and chill.

Combine cucumber mixture and sparkling water in a pitcher; stir gently with a whisk until blended. Serve over ice; garnish each glass with a cucumber spear, if desired. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup).