Three Ideas for Cucumbers

Cucumbers are going crazy in my veggie garden at the moment.  They have been for weeks.  I can’t keep up with the supply of them.  I’m certainly not complaining because I love cucumbers and they are very versatile.

Cucumbers are the fourth most widely cultivated vegetable in the world. They are enjoyed on almost every continent and they are incorporated into most types of cuisine.  They have a unique combination of nutrients that are said to provide us with valuable anti inflammatory, antioxidant and anti cancer benefits.

This overwhelming supply of cucumbers from my garden has prompted me to make good use of them and be a little inventive.  Today I’m going to share with you three uses I have made with the humble cucumber.

1.    Creamy Cucumber Salad (my Hungarian Nanna’s recipe)

What you need:

Cucumbers – peeled and sliced

3 tablespoons of salt

2-3 cloves of garlic – crushed

1 cup white vinegar

1 cup water

White pepper

½ cup cream

Sweet paprika

What you do:

Place cucumbers in a bowl with salt and garlic.  Leave for one hour.  Then squeeze out liquid.

Return to bowl.  Mix vinegar and water together and pour over cucumbers.  Leave for 30 minutes.  Drain.

Place cucumbers in a salad bowl, add pepper to taste, cream and top with sweet paprika.   Serve.

2.    Cucumber and Tomato Salad

What you need:

Cucumbers – peeled and diced

Tomatoes – diced

Onion – peeled and sliced (optional)

Salt & white pepper – to taste

What you do:

Mix all ingredients together in a salad bowl.  Serve.

3.    Gin & Tonic

What you need:

30 ml of Gin – I prefer Henricks or Tanqueray

Tonic water – I prefer Schweppes Diet Tonic

Cucumbers – peeled and sliced in to ‘fingers’ (2 per glass)

Ice

What you do:

Place all ingredients in a tall glass, stir, and drink.