SO MANY CUCUMBERS
Is your garden overflowing? Here’s what to do with them
So. Many. Cucumbers.
My garden — more correctly, my husband’s garden — was overflowing with cucumbers. Lots of tomatoes and peppers, too, along with lesser amounts of carrots, eggplant, Egyptian spinach, zucchini and the list goes on.
We tried everything to use up the cucumbers: Cucumber and avocado salad, cucumbers with couscous, cucumbers in adult beverages, and we made gallons and gallons of cucumber water. We gave some away to friends. Even then, so … many … cucumbers.
Here are some ideas.
MINTY CUCUMBER MELON DRINK
Yield: 2 servings 1 (7-inch) cucumber, peeled 2 cups honeydew melon, seeds scooped and chopped 1 tablespoon fresh mint 3 ounces lemon vodka
Blend the cucumber and honeydew in a blender. Place the mint in the bottom of 2 highball glasses and add a little of the juice to each. Muddle the mint leaves. Add the rest of the juice and the vodka and fill to the top of the glasses with ice.
— Adapted from veganyackattack.com
CUCUMBER SALAD
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
1 cup white vinegar
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 large cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded and thinly sliced
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 large carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
½ sweet bell pepper, red or green, julienned
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
In a small saucepan, heat the vinegar and sugar until the sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Let cool completely. Place the remaining ingredients in a bowl and add the vinegar mixture. The salad is best if marinated for at least 2 hours. It will keep in the refrigerator for 1 week.
PER SERVING (based on 4): 110 calories; no fat; no saturated fat; no cholesterol; 2 g protein; 24 g carbohydrate; 18 g sugar; 3 g fiber; 28 mg sodium; 39 mg calcium — Recipe from “Pojanee Vatanapan’s Thai Cookbook”
MOM’S EASY COUSCOUS TABBOULEH
Yield: 6 servings
5 ounces plain couscous, cooked according to package directions
1 large cucumber
1 pint red grape tomatoes
1 to 2 tablespoons finely chopped mint leaves
1 cup finely chopped curly parsley, leaves only
Juice of 1½ large lemons
1½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Prepare couscous according to package directions and set aside to cool.
Wash the cucumber and cut it in quarters lengthwise. Cut the quarters into thin slices, about ⅛-inch wide and set aside.
Wash and cut the grape tomatoes in half lengthwise. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl combine the cooked couscous, chopped cucumbers and tomatoes, mint and parsley.
Add lemon juice and olive oil. Toss gently to blend. Sample and add salt and pepper, if needed, to taste.
PER SERVING (based on 6 servings): 143 calories; 4 g fat; 1 g saturated fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 4g protein; 24 g carbohydrate; 3 g sugar; 2 g fiber; 12 mg sodium; 34 mg calcium.
THE CONCORD GRILL’S PICKLED CUCUMBERS
Yield: About 6 cups 3 large cucumbers
¼ cup diced white onion 2 cups granulated sugar 2 cups white vinegar 2 cups water
Peel and trim cucumbers. Cut into quarters lengthwise, then cut into half-inch pieces. Drop into a storage container. Add onion.
Add sugar, vinegar and water and stir well until sugar dissolves.
Cover and refrigerate at least 24 hours before serving. Will keep several days.
PER ¾ CUP SERVING: 373 calories; no fat; no saturated fat; no cholesterol; 1 g protein; 94 g carbohydrate; 92 g sugar; 1 g fiber; 8 mg sodium; 32 mg calcium.
AVOCADO-CUCUMBER SOUP WITH SHRIMP
Yield: 4 servings 1 English cucumber, peeled and cut into ¼-inch cubes
2 avocados, pitted and peeled
½ cup low-fat plain yogurt
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 minced small jalapeño chile (seeds and ribs removed for less heat), optional
⅓ cup sliced green onions
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 teaspoon olive oil
12 medium shrimp (about 6 ounces), peeled and deveined In a blender, combine half the cucumber and 1 avocado with the yogurt, lime juice, jalapeño, green onion, 1 tablespoon cilantro, 1 cup ice water, 1½ teaspoons salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Purée until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl.
Cut remaining avocado into ¼-inch cubes. Stir avocado and remaining cucumber into soup. Thin with ½ to 1 cup ice water, as desired. Season again with salt and pepper. Chill about 1 hour.
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook shrimp, turning once, until opaque throughout, 2 to 3 minutes. Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with shrimp and remaining tablespoon cilantro.
PER SERVING: 240 calories; 17 g fat; 3 g saturated fat; 70 mg cholesterol; 12 g protein; 14 g carbohydrate; 4 g sugar; 8 g fiber; 335 g sodium; 115 mg calcium.