Cukes: Quick Recipes for Cucumbers

Hey everyone, we're going to start getting back into the wing of things on the War Kitchen channel, so we wanted to crop this quick video on a few recipes for fresh cucumbers.
Nothing too complicated, just a quick handful of ways that we ended up utilizing some surplus cucumbers here in our community garden.
Just FYI for all the newcomers, this is published on our separate youtube channel for The War Kitchen.

Fresh Vinegar Cucumbers
I large cucumber
1 medium-sized bowl
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup water
Salt and Pepper to taste

1.   Wash cucumber, cut into slices, and place into bowl.
   

2.   Add vinegar and water to cover cucumber slices.
   

3.   Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir to coat all slices.
   

4.   Allow cucumbers to soak for a few minutes before consuming.
   

Cucumber Sandwiches
1 loaf white sandwich bread
8 oz. cream cheese (room temperature)
1 large cucumber
1 TSP dried dillweed
1 TSP dried chives
1 TSP lemon juice
2 TBSP mayonnaise
Salt and Pepper to taste

1.   In a medium-sized bowl, combine cream cheese, dillweed, chives, lemon juice, mayonnaise and salt and pepper and stir until well combine without clumps. Set aside.
   

2.   Wash and cut cucumber into very thin slices. You can use a potato peeler or a mandolin to achieve the thinness cuts possible. It is best to avoid slices that have cucumber seeds.
   

3.   On two slices of white bread, spread the cream cheese filling on one side of each slice.
   

4.   Layer cucumbers onto one slice of bread and cover with the other. You may choose to cut off the crusts of the sandwich or eat as is.
   

5.   Options: Substitute the cucumber for shredded carrots. OR combine cucumber and carrots together. Both ways are very delicious.
   

Quick Bread and Butter Pickles
1 – 2 cucumbers
1 TSP Kosher (or Canning) Salt (Do Not use Iodized, Sea or Himalayan salts)
¼ TSP ground mustard
2/3 cup white sugar
½ cup distilled white vinegar
¼ TSP ground turmeric
Pinch of dried celery
1/8 TSP of minced garlic

1.   In a microwave-safe bowl, combine salt, mustard, sugar, vinegar, turmeric, celery and garlic and stir to combine. Set aside.
   

2.   Wash and cut cucumbers into slices. Make sure to discard the ends of the cucumbers as the stems could cause spoilage to occur. Add the slices to the bowl of ingredients. Stir to coat.
   

3.   Place in microwave on high and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes. Cucumbers should be tender.
   

4.   While hot, place pickles into a sterilized jelly or pint jar and then cover with the liquid. Secure a top onto the jar and place in the refrigerator.
   

5.   Once chilled, pickles can be consumed. Pickles will last approximately 2 weeks refrigerated.
   

Dill Pickles
2 – 3 cucumbers
2 cups water
1 cup distilled white vinegar
1 TBSP Kosher (or Canning) Salt (Do Not use Iodized, Sea or Himalayan salts)
½ TSP white sugar
1 TBSP dried dillweed
1 TSP minced garlic
5 Peppercorns

1.   Slice cucumbers into spears and place in a sterilized quart jar.
   

2.   To make brine, combine water, vinegar, salt, sugar, dillweed, garlic and peppercorns into a saucepan and bring to a boil.
   

3.   Once the brine has reached a boil, remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
   

4.   When brine is cooled, pour over cucumber spears in jar and place lid on to seal.
   

5.   Allow about 1 week before consuming pickles.
   

6.   Pickles will keep in the refrigerator for approximately 4 – 6 weeks.