We're harvesting more cucumbers than we can eat, no matter how many we chop in salads, dip in dips or slice on sandwiches. Last year I solved this problem by giving cucumbers away, but this year I'm determined to use them all. The first batch of pickles has already been made (and eaten) so this week we had some fun experimenting.
I am not a sangria fan. It's too sweet and fruity, yet sour and tart... It's confusing. And cloying. I thought this recipe could be different, however, because it was made with white wine, and not too much citrus. There was only one problem... The recipe I found online wasn't really a recipe. It had ingredients, but no measurements; so I had to make them up. Here's what I used: one bottle of white wine, a half thinly sliced cucumber, a half honeydew melon, chopped in small bits, a thinly sliced lime, some chopped lemon balm, and a tablespoon honey. Just before serving I added tons of ice and about a cup of club soda.
Next I tried a recipe for cucumber hummus. Why just use cucumbers to scoop up the dip, when cucumbers could be the dip?
There is my tzatziki, with lots of homegrown cucumbers and garlic, being served with roasted potatoes and onions and sauteed beans, all from the garden, of course.
The one cucumber is enormous, the other a bit twisted and bent, but both mine... And oh so tasty.
First, we tried a cucumber sangria.
I am not a sangria fan. It's too sweet and fruity, yet sour and tart... It's confusing. And cloying. I thought this recipe could be different, however, because it was made with white wine, and not too much citrus. There was only one problem... The recipe I found online wasn't really a recipe. It had ingredients, but no measurements; so I had to make them up. Here's what I used: one bottle of white wine, a half thinly sliced cucumber, a half honeydew melon, chopped in small bits, a thinly sliced lime, some chopped lemon balm, and a tablespoon honey. Just before serving I added tons of ice and about a cup of club soda.
It made about six glasses, and was good! We'll definitely make this again.
Next I tried a recipe for cucumber hummus. Why just use cucumbers to scoop up the dip, when cucumbers could be the dip?
The addition of shredded cucumbers to the hummus made it lighter and fluffier than hummus usually is, which was nice; but I tried to make my own tahini, which didn't turn out well. Therefore I cannot vouch for the taste of this recipe, but if you are a fan of hummus and looking for variations, check out the recipe at http://www.veganfamilyrecipes.com/2015/01/cucumber-hummus.html
No week of cucumber recipes would be complete without tzatziki. I love tzatziki. There are hundreds of good recipes out there. I use this one: http://hlkljgk.hubpages.com/hub/vegetarian-gyro but feel free to pick your favorite. Whichever recipe you use, just remember that excess moisture is your enemy. If you use a thick yoghurt as a base, no problem. If you use sour cream, you'll want to let it sit in a coffee filter for 20 minutes or so, to remove excess water. When you shred the cucumbers, you'll want to lightly salt them and let them sit 5-10 minutes; then squeeze the pulp between your hands to remove moisture. Take the extra time, and your tzatziki will turn out thick and fluffy.
There is my tzatziki, with lots of homegrown cucumbers and garlic, being served with roasted potatoes and onions and sauteed beans, all from the garden, of course.
One last picture of my beautiful produce:
The one cucumber is enormous, the other a bit twisted and bent, but both mine... And oh so tasty.
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