Cucumber Sandwiches with Feta and Champagne Cucumber Salad

We all say this but "Where did summer go?"!  I hope you don't mind me holding on just a bit.

It's always a shock when it's Labor Day and then the first day of Fall arrives. Granted, I missed a few weeks of summer enjoyment due to my injury, but I always got outside to inspect my garden and pick a tomato, cucumber or flower here and there, even with one hand :) Here in SE Wisconsin, we have been having gorgeous September weather.  It has been in the 80s this week, and reached 89F on Monday.

I'm still picking 2 or more cukes a day, which is down from 4-5 a day earlier this month. I've been blessed with a bumper crop from my small planting area. I planted seeds of a new variety this year that I ordered from Burpee called "Iznik Hybrid".  It's been a wonderful producer with delicious, thin-skinned cucumbers. I trained the vines to grow up a fence with velcro plant ties.

I've used cucumbers for my favorite Refrigerator Pickles and also in umpteen salads but I really needed more ways to use them so they wouldn't go to waste.  I'd like to bid farewell to summer with these recipes using cucumbers. 

Would you believe I had never made a cucumber sandwich?  I've eaten them at brunches and luncheons and always enjoyed them so I don't know what took me so long.  Slow learner? I prefer to point to my delicious and bountiful cucumber crop being the inspiration. My personal twist on the traditional recipe was adding a little crumbled feta to the cream cheese base. I think I would have preferred a thin-sliced whole wheat bread but wanted to stick with the traditional thin-sliced white for my first attempt to let the flavor of the filling shine.

Have you ever had cucumber water?  They say that cucumber water is a wonderful detoxifier and we all know that drinking water is good for you.  It's a simple process. Add cucumber slices to a pitcher of water and refrigerate. I made 'stripes' in the cucumber skin by running a dinner fork along the length of the cucumbers from top to bottom all around before slicing. The longer you allow the cucumber slices to 'marinate' in the water the better it tastes. Four hours would be optimal. You could also add a few lemon slices.  It's very refreshing!

Next, is a Champagne Cucumber salad that I really enjoyed. Another recipe I had never tried before, preferring to go with the simple sugar and vinegar preparation of my refrigerator pickles. There are many great recipes to be found on the Net.  The one I liked the best was adapted from Ina's which used of a splash of Champagne vinegar to which I added a little sugar for balance. The Champagne vinegar adds a delicious, fruity flavor to the cucumbers.  I love Champagne vinegar in salad dressings!

If you are faced with more cucumbers than you know what to do with, there is also a way to preserve cucumbers by making freezer pickles which will last in the freezer for up to a year.

Did you know that cucumbers are a valuable source of Vitamin K which is essential for bone health? Cucumbers also contain high levels of nutrients known as cucurbitacins and lignans, which early research indicates may have cancer fighting properties. Way to go, Cucumbers!

Cucumber Sandwiches with Feta

Printable Recipe

Serves 2 as a luncheon course (makes 4 small sandwiches cut into 16 wedges)

4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 ounce Greek feta cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 cup of finely diced cucumber (I used 3 small garden cucumbers)
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dried dill
1 teaspoon fresh dill, snipped, for garnish
8 slices thin white sandwich bread, such as Pepperidge Farm

Slice cucumbers and place in a colander or strainer fitted over a bowl. Sprinkle the cucumber slices with salt and toss. Allow to drain for about 15-30 minutes, tossing occasionally (this will remove much of the water in the cucumbers so the spread will not become soggy). Turn out the cucumber slices onto a layer of paper toweling and pat dry. Dice cucumbers finely with a chef's knife.

While cucumbers are draining, mix together the cream cheese, feta and mayonnaise in a medium bowl. Blend thoroughly with a fork or use a hand mixer to blend. Add the minced garlic, pepper, dried dill, and diced cucumbers. (I would not add any additional salt as the cucumbers will have retained salt from the draining step.) Spread on 4 slices of sandwich bread to desired thickness and top with remaining 4 slices of bread. Cut the crusts off of the sandwiches and cut each sandwich into quarters diagonally, making 4 triangles each. Arrange triangles on serving plates or platter with points facing up and sprinkle with snipped fresh dill and serve.

Champagne Cucumber Salad

Printable Recipe

Serves 1-2

3-4 small garden cucumbers, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon red onion, thinly sliced and quartered
1/2 (4 ounces) sour cream
1 tablespoons champagne vinegar
1 teaspoon dried dill or 1 tablespoon freshly chopped dill
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Place the sliced cucumbers into a colander or strainer and place over a bowl. Sprinkle with salt, toss and allow to drain for about 30 minutes, tossing occasionally. This will remove much of the water content of the cucumbers so the salad will not become watery. Turn the drained cucumbers out onto a layer of paper toweling and pat dry.

Add the cucumbers and remaining ingredients to a medium bowl. (I would not add any additional salt as the cucumbers will have retained salt from the draining process.) Toss well, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving (desirable but not necessary).

Garnish with freshly snipped fresh dill, if desired.

Loosely adapted from Ina Garten and Food Network

Asparagus and Leek Frittata

I had a very special treat for lunch today!  My daughter had taken a few days of vacation this week and came for lunch with our grandson, Mack. I wanted to make something special for her, so decided on this frittata recipe from Epicurious.. 

The only small 'tweak' I made to the recipe was to add some red pepper for color and cut the butter in half and substitute olive oil. Chopped leaks are sauteed in a combination of olive oil and butter, then cut asparagus, red pepper and shiitake mushrooms are added and sauteed. 

Whisked eggs mixed with Fontina cheese are poured over the vegetables and cooked on the stovetop until almost done.  More fontina and parmesan is added to the top, and the mixture is then finished under the oven broiler until set and golden.

I served it on a bed of organic greens - delicious!  I will make certainly make this again. Without a crust to add calories it was lower in calories than a quiche but still a satisfying luncheon dish.  Served with my daughter's favorite beverage, an Arnold Palmer...freshly brewed and chilled tea mixed with lemonade.  It was a good day!

Asparagus and Leek Frittata 
Adapted from Epicurious
Printable Recipe

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only)
1 12-ounce bunch thin asparagus, trimmed, cut on diagonal into 1-inch pieces (about 2 1/2 cups)
1 cup sliced stemmed shiitake mushrooms
1/2 cup red pepper, seeded and sliced in thin julienne
8 large omega-3 eggs
1 cup diced Fontina cheese, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven broiler. Melt butter and olive oil in heavy broile-proof 10-inch-diameter skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and sauté about 4 minutes. Add asparagus, red pepper and shiitake mushrooms and sauté until tender, about 6 minutes.

Whisk eggs, 3/4 cup Fontina cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in medium bowl. Add egg mixture to skillet; fold gently to combine. Cook and stir gently until almost set. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup Fontina cheese and Parmesan cheese over the top.

Broil until frittata is puffed and cheese begins to turn golden, about 3-6 minutes (make a slice and check to make sure it is cooked through). Cut into wedges and serve.