Cucumbers, Cucumbers, Cucumbers!

If you are like me, you are a little snowed under with cucumbers.  Here are three ideas of how I am using mine.  First, I purchased one package of fresh dill (lucky you if you have some growing in your yard!) so I could make both cucumber salad (see Katie's blog post from July 8th-Cucumber Salad) and pickles.

1. Cucumber Salad

I modified Katie's ingredients only slightly to veganize it.  I left out the sugar as tofutti tends to be a little sweeter than real sour cream. I also included some of the CRO sweet onion.  If you don't have fresh dill, use dried but use a little less.  Finally, I sprinkled a small amount of crushed red chili peppers on top for a bit of zing.  Also, since she didn't provide measurements, here is how much of everything I used.  

1 CRO cucumber, sliced into rounds and then the rounds quartered
3 slices CRO sweet onion, diced
3 slices red onion (if no red onion just increase the sweet onion), diced
1/4 cup vegan sour cream (I use Tofutti brand, if you must, use regular sour cream)
1 Tbs white wine vinegar
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill (1/2 of a package of fresh dill should do it)
crushed red chili peppers, optional

Whisk together sour cream and vinegar until no lumps remain.  Combine all other ingredients in a medium bowl, pour dressing over all and toss.  Sprinkle a little crushed red pepper on each serving if desired.  Serves 4.

2.  Dill Pickles 

This is my technique for making pickles and it has always turned out great. My kids love them. 

1 or 2 CRO cucumbers, sliced into spears
a handful of fresh dill (the other half of your package), broken into sprigs
2 cups water
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 Tbs salt
1 clove of garlic, cut up

Place cucumber spears in a glass jar with the springs of dill (use two jars if necessary).  Bring water, vinegar, salt and garlic to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Run the OUTSIDE of the glass jar(s) under hot tap water for a few moments.  This will prevent the jars from breaking when the boiling water is poured over.  Immediately pour the boiling water mixture over the pickle spears in the jar.  Screw lids onto jars and let cool.  When, cool, refrigerate.  These will keep several months in the refrigerator.

Assemble your pickle ingredients.

Run hot water on outside of jar.

Pour boiling water/vinegar mixture into jar.

Let jar cool before placing in fridge.

3.  Crudites 

Slice cucumbers into rounds and dip them in whatever you have - leftover tofutti combined with dry soup mix, hummus, even dijon mustard (don't laugh it is great!).  Makes for a great snack!