Guest Author - Catherine Bridges
Cucumbers are one of the summer season's most abundant vegetables. They are more than just an addition to your salad. Width-wise slices add crunch to your sandwiches and soak up your favorite mustard or vinaigrette. Great on their own with dips, on a tea sandwich or in a pickled dish with onions and herbs - the cucumber is a versatile ingredient.
As a sandwich base, cucumbers offer a moisture barrier with a great crunch and a wonderful platform to showcase your favorite ingredients. Cucumbers can also support the explosive flavors of peppers, citrus, fish, and other meats. That's why it is used often alongside other sushi roll fillings.
These vegetables can be a good source of Vitamin A, Pantothenic Acid, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Manganese, and Potassium. They are also a very good source of anti-inflammatories such as: Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Folate and Beta Carotene. They do have some sugar content so be sure to eat them and serve them in moderation to those concerned with sugar intake.
Here is a great pinwheel recipe with cucumbers as the bread:
2 large Cucumbers, cleaned, peeled and sliced lengthwise. Store in a bowl of lemon water.
1/4 cup Spreadable Pepperjack Cheese or herb cream cheese (see recipe below)
1 jalapeno pepper, roasted,seeded and diced
1lb Roast Beef, thinly shaved
Box of toothpicks
Remove an individual slice from the lemon water. Pat dry.
Spread a thin layer of pepperjack cheese or herbed cream cheese the entire length of the cucumber.
Then, place a layer of the shaved roast beef.
Top with diced jalapeno peppers.
Roll the cucumber slice from one end up to the other. Secure with a toothpick to hold in place. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.
HERBED CREAM CHEESE
8 oz. Cream Cheese
3 Tbsp. fresh Basil chopped
2 tsp. fresh Chives chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh Oregano minced
1 Shallot minced
1 tsp. fresh Lemon Juice
1 1/2 tsp. Pepper
1/2 tsp. Salt
Mix ingredients together and let sit for at least twenty minutes to allow full flavor consolidation.
Enjoy the versatility of the cucumber whether from the garden or the grocery!
