Cucumber is one of the oldest vegetable crops.
In the days of antiquity in Greece, it was called “Aguros” translated unripe, unripe. This is how the name appeared – cucumber.
Cucumbers were brought from India, where wild varieties grow in the forests like a tropical liana, entwining trees.
Everyone knows that cucumber actually consists entirely of water, but besides that, it contains a lot of mineral salts and useful trace elements. And it contains more iron than grapes.
You can cook many different dishes from cucumber, especially since you can buy it at any time of the year. But, of course, summer cucumbers are tastier and healthier.
Easter vegetable jelly
Ingredients:
- Fresh cucumber – 2 pcs.
- Tomato – 2 pcs.
- Vegetable broth – 2 cups
- Vinegar 3% – 2 tablespoons
- Soy sauce – 1 tsp
- Lettuce leaves – 20 gr.
- Dill – 10 gr.
- Gelatin – 1 tsp.
- Salt – to taste
Soak gelatin in cold boiled water 1 to 6 and leave to swell for half an hour. In a small saucepan, combine the broth and pre-soaked gelatin, heat without bringing to a boil.
Cut tomatoes and cucumbers into cubes, salt. Simmer the tomatoes in a skillet with soy sauce. Mix the simmered tomatoes and fresh cucumbers separately with herbs. We combine part of the broth with tomatoes, part with cucumbers. Arrange the cucumbers in molds to an incomplete height, allow to cool and harden a little. Pour the tomatoes into a mold for cucumbers, cool until they become gelatinous. When serving, arrange jelly with herbs.
Cucumber soup
Ingredients:
- Fresh cucumber – 2 pcs.
- Natural yogurt – 0,5 l.
- Soft cheese – 250 ml.
- Olive oil – 2,5 tablespoons
- Egg – 2 pcs.
- Sour cream – 4 tsp
- Greens – to taste
- Salt – to taste
- Ground white pepper – to taste
Wash the cucumbers thoroughly, then chop coarsely, after removing the seeds. Beat the cucumbers, 1/2 yogurt and some cheese in a blender for a few seconds.
Add the herbs, the rest of the yogurt and beat again until smooth. Add olive oil to the mixture, salt and pepper to taste.
Boil a hard-boiled egg and chop it. Cut the remaining soft cheese and some cucumber into cubes to decorate the soup.
Before serving, put the soup in the refrigerator, chill, then add the chopped hard-boiled egg, cheese and sour cream. Boiled potatoes can be served as a side dish.
Cold soup “Tarator”
Ingredients:
- Fresh cucumber – 3-4 pcs.
- Sour milk or yogurt – 220 gr.
- Water – 0,4 l.
- Vegetable oil – a few spoons
- Dill – to taste
- Garlic – 2 cloves
- Walnuts – a handful
- Salt – to taste
Wash cucumbers under running water and cut into small cubes. Whisk yogurt or sour milk with water until foam forms. Put the cucumbers in the resulting mixture. Add vegetable oil, finely chopped dill, pounded garlic, salt to taste. Sprinkle with chopped nuts.
French cucumbers
Ingredients:
- Fresh cucumber – 3 pcs.
- Salt – to taste
- Ice to taste
- Mint – to taste
Cut the cucumbers into small slices, put them in a deep plate, add ice cubes and fill them with water. Salt to taste and throw in a couple of mint sprigs. After a couple of hours, the cucumbers are ready.
The cucumbers are very crispy and tasty.
Baked cucumbers
Ingredients:
- Fresh cucumbers – 650 gr.
- Bulb – 1 pcs.
- Butter – 1,5 st.l.
- Flour – 1,5 tablespoons
- Sour cream – 200 gr.
- Grated cheese – 70 gr.
- Salt – to taste
- Ground black pepper – to taste
- Nutmeg – to taste
Cut the cucumbers lengthwise into four parts and cut into small pieces. Throw the cucumbers into boiling water and boil them for 10-12 minutes. We put it in a colander. Finely chop the onion and sauté in vegetable oil. Add flour, pour in sour cream a little later and, stirring constantly, simmer until thickened.
Pour cucumbers already prepared in a baking dish with this sauce, spread a layer of grated cheese on top. Season with salt and pepper, add nutmeg to taste. We bake in the oven for 40-50 minutes.
Breakfast “Delicious”
Ingredients:
- Pickled cucumber – 2 pcs.
- Butter – 20 gr.
- Egg – 4 pcs.
- Sausages – 240 g.
- Salt – to taste
- Dill – to taste
Cut the cucumbers into thin slices and put them in the form of leaves on a plate. Cut the sausages in half lengthwise and cut each part across.
Melt the butter and break the eggs, line them with sausages in the shape of a flower. When the eggs are fried, arrange them beautifully on a plate, decorate with dill.
Salad “Nezhensky” for the winter
Ingredients:
- Fresh cucumber – 3 kg.
- Onions – 1 kg.
- Carrots – 5 pieces.
- Salt – 2 tbsp.
- Sugar – 1 glass
- Vinegar – 1 glass
- Vegetable oil – 1 glass
We wash the cucumbers and cut into thin slices. We clean the carrots and cut into thin cups, if the carrots are large, then you need to cut the circles in half or into four parts. Peel the onion and cut into half rings. Mix everything, add salt, sugar, vinegar and vegetable oil and mix again.
We sterilize the jars for 10-15 minutes. Put the salad in sterilized jars and roll it up. We wrap the jars until they cool completely. Salad ready.
Greek Stuffed Cucumbers
Ingredients:
- Fresh cucumber – 6 pcs.
- Minced meat – 350 gr.
- White bread – 120 gr.
- Onions – 2 pc.
- Hard boiled egg – 3 pcs.
- Parsley to taste
- Salt – to taste
- Pepper to taste
- Tomato Paste – 3 tbsp
- Sour cream – to taste
- Dill – to taste
Prepare minced meat. Peel the onion, chop finely and mix with the minced meat. Add softened white bread, diced eggs, parsley, salt and pepper.
Wash cucumbers, peel, cut lengthwise into two parts and take out the seeds with a spoon. Fill the halves of the cucumbers with minced meat, connect them, tie them with a thread and put them in a baking dish. Mix the tomato paste with a few tablespoons of sour cream and pour the cucumbers with the resulting sauce. Sprinkle with lemon juice if desired for extra flavor. We cover the form with a lid and set to stew for 20 minutes.
Sprinkle the finished dish with finely chopped onions.
Bon appetit!
We have brought you some of the most interesting cucumber dishes, the rest of the dishes you can find on our website in the recipes section.