cucumber sandwiches

[highchef]

I know I've done this successfully in another lifetime, but I must have left something out. I thinly sliced the cuc's and tossed them with a combo of dressing mix and cream cheese. I know it's not the real deal, but it's quite tasty when someone else does it. My stuff ended up watery and tasteless after it was drained (duh!). I sliced thin, lightly salted and drained them in a colander and on paper towels for hours. still a mess.

what am I doing wrong???

[tryska]

perhaps it's the type of cuce you are using. It might be too watery.

also i'm not sure abotu the dressing and cream cheese combo.

I always thought cucumber sandwiches were just dryish cucumber s&p'd on buttered bread.

another one to try is radish with cream cheese spread bread.

here's a recipe that incorporated cream cheese and mint:

http://whatscookingamerica.net/Sandwich/Sa...ucumberMint.htm

from another recipe - looks like the trick is to slice the cukes, then salt, and let them drain to make them dry.

http://www.lpl.arizona.edu/~bcohen/cucumbe...glish_sand.html

Edited June 10, 2006 by tryska (log)

[highchef]

It's dry ranch, and I know it's not the traditional cuc sandwich, but spread out on soft white bread it's quite good.

I've tried the salt and drain and pat thing, I even used an english cucumber because I thought it would be less watery. I have a ton of them from various gardens, so I'll try again with the home grown one's. Maybe they should be finelly chopped to get even more water from them. I don't know, but I've got plenty to experiment with!

Thanks for the links. I like radishes, will try that too.

[Megan Blocker]

I would try Kirbies!

[JAZ]

Depending on the texture you're after, you might want to try seeding and shredding the cucumber, then draining and drying it. That's what I do for tzadtiki (sp?) and it doesn't end up watery.

If you want largers pieces of cucumber, you still might want to seed it first before slicing. I find that leaving the seeds in results in more water seeping out.

[Soupcon]

I have made cuke and cream cheese sandwiches by the gross(e) for ladies lunches.

You need 1 slice of sandwich bread thinly spread with unsalted butter, topped by one layer of thinly silced cukes, salt very lightly, and topped lastly with a 2nd slice of sandwich bread thinly spread with cream cheese. Cut off crusts and quarter.

Of all the sandwiches I made for lunches, these disappeared the quickest.

[joiei]

I have made cuke and cream cheese sandwiches by the gross(e) for ladies lunches.

You need 1 slice of sandwich bread thinly spread with unsalted butter, topped by one layer of thinly silced cukes, salt very lightly, and topped lastly with a 2nd slice of sandwich bread thinly spread with cream cheese. Cut off crusts and quarter.

Of all the sandwiches I made for lunches, these disappeared the quickest.

←

this is the method that I use also, never any complaints. If you want a ranch flavor, try mixing it into the cream cheese instead of marinating the cukes, that could be the problem. Keep the cuke flavor clean.

[snowangel]

I think I need to make a lot of cucumber sandwiches. Can I slice or shred the cukes a day in advance? Urgent help, please.

[Marmish]

My friends and I have been making these forever. Mix the cream cheese, mayo and ranch together, spread on the bread, then top with sliced cucumber. No tossing or mixing of the cukes. Garnish with dill. You can slice the cukes ahead, I'm sure.

[Katie Meadow]

I use cukes in sandwiches frequently. I like radishes and cukes together. I use English cukes, which are less watery than regular, and have way less seeds. They can be sliced thin, salted, left to drain, then patted dry on a towel and that helps them from being watery. I agree: no tossing, mixing or shredding, at least not for a sandwich.

Personally I don't think cuke sandwiches keep or travel all that well; best eaten fairly soon after building.

[snowangel]

I'm not making the sandwiches in advance, just wanting to slice/shred them in advance, which I think I'll experiment with this weekend. Since it's the senior's graduation party next weekend (yes, she is that old, little Miss Diana), there's no room for error.

[sadistick]

Go a bit heavier on the salt to get more water out, paper towels may help as well - perhaps hold back on salting the dressing though.