using the fruits of my labors.

[mopinko]

sort of forgot that for gardening to be worthwhile you have to eat the food. well, i remembered that part, but cooking, canning, all that, is a chore in itself for someone who is a lazy cook.

but, getting better, cooking with dh, which is fun. ready for the canning part. have some really good sour cherry jam already. getting ready to do pickles.
so, looking for good pickle ideas as well as other ways to use the cukes i am about to be buried under.
thinking i would like to do a cold cuke soup. any other great cuke ideas?

[grasswire]

1. cucumbers with sour cream is a good salad

dill, and sour cream, and S&P

[Warpy]

2. It's better this way

cut cukes into quarters lengthwise. If they're the waterlogged supermarket cukes, scrape out the seeds. Then cut them into 1/4 inch pieces. Salt and set aside in a colander.

Mix 1-2 cloves of pressed garlic, sour cream, snipped dill, and plenty of black pepper.

Put cukes into a cotton towel and squeeze out all the water and salt. Put into the sour cream/garlic dressing and serve.

These are cukes that are trying to turn into pickles but not quite making it. The dill and garlic in the sour cream makes them pure heaven.

[Aerows]

8. Cucumber and cream cheese

Sandwiches. Yummy on a hot day, cool and melt in your mouth!

[struggle4progress]

3. Fresh pickling gives good results

Made yourself a pickling solution by simmering some vinegar with peppercorn, mustard seed, coriander and what not. Let it cool. Dilute some with it with water and chill: I personally like something like 1:2 vinegar to water. Chop some garlic and toss it in.

Slice up your cukes into spears and slice a bunch of onion into slices. You're gonna coat the cukes and onions in salt and let them sit an hour or two to draw water out. Then rinse them as quickly as you can BUT THOROUGHLY and toss them into your chilled vinegar with some dill -- at least overnight and maybe up to 36 hours

If you get the timing and proportions right, the cukes will taste pickled but will still be crisp and watery. You'll have to adjust the salt amount and timing depending on the thickness of the spears: if they're small and thin, use less salt and wait less time

[Aerows]

7. Do you have a full pickle recipe?

My aunt tried to guide me on how to make a full pickle, but I suspect she hasn't got a clue what she is talking about because they came out rancid.

[struggle4progress]

9. Never tried full pickling but here's a recipe:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2012/07/12/156619002/three-secrets-to-crispy-pickles-and-a-lost-recipe-found

[Aerows]

10. TY S4P

That's awesome. I need to try that . I'm thankful you brought it to my attention.

[cbayer]

4. Don't you dare complain about this, mo!!!

I am so jealous I could cry.

[mopinko]

5. sorry.

hey, sail on up. i'll share.

[Aerows]

6. I got buried in cukes

and tried to find a decent pickle recipe, and failed at it . They went rancid because I clearly didn't do something correctly in the pickle making process. It didn't help that my aunt who hasn't pickled a damn thing in 50 years kept telling me how to do it, and she couldn't seem to get a recipe straight.

I like them diced with a vinagrette, onion and carrots. It makes a delicious salad, particularly if you use olive oil and douse everything with garlic .

EDIT: And of course, cream cheese and cucumber sandwiches . Yum on a hot day.

[yellerpup]

11. I've served this Italian

cucumber, fresh pickle (I guess). I read that Italians eat this as a snack while watching tv, or for just a quick little something. I served it as a palate cleanser after a heavy main course (osso buco) and before dessert at a fancy dinner party and it was perfect!

Cut your cucumber into very thin slices into a bowl. Sprinkle a tsp. (or more- I use raw sugar) of sugar over them, salt them lightly, and then squeeze the juice of one lemon over. Let 'cure' for a couple of hours, tossing occasionally, and then enjoy. Really simple and refreshing.

[mopinko]

12. mmmmmmmmmmmm

[grasswire]

13. new kind of cucumber sandwich

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=263800753724701&set=a.175741369197307.31096.175564625881648&type=1&ref=nf

[mopinko]

15. what a great idea.

i'll be liking that page.

[Le Taz Hot]

14. Re: Pickling

I had made bread-and-butter pickles in the past but last year I wanted to pickle peppers (I always have so many in the garden). Anyway I found the easiest damned pickle brine recipe. Here it is:

1/2 c. water
1 c. vinegar

Or, 2 parts vinegar to 1 part water if you need to make more than a cup and a half. It worked perfectly.