Dinner Tonight - Sautéed Cucumbers
File this under my long list of things I didn't know: You can sauté cucumbers. In fact, you can coat them in butter, sprinkle with nutmeg and herbs, and have yourself a very tasty side dish. It’s apparently a classic French dish, as well, according to Starting With Ingredients. I believe them now.
Now, I’m no stranger to the vegetable. Show me a plateful of pickles, and I’ll show you a good time. I was just looking for a novel way to use some of the cucumbers I picked up at the farmers' market. This won’t exactly win a fist fight with a cool, crisp pickle, but it’s always fun to find some completely different method to use ingredients.
Sauteed Cucumbers
- serves 2 -
Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
2 cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthwise and cut into half moons
Pinch of nutmeg
Handful of herbs like tarragon, chives, chervil, thyme, or parsley
Salt and pepper
Procedure
1. Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat. Add the cucumbers. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until they have somewhat crisped up.
2. Add the nutmeg, herbs, salt and pepper to the pan and mix together.
3. Remove from the heat and serve.
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7 Comments:
I never knew this either! And, I am a cucumber lover. Another great way to serve them is to marinate them in soy sauce and hot chili. I learned this in China, where it was served as an appetizer almost everywhere. Just make sure to use hot house cucumbers for this.
foodette at 5:19PM on 10/10/07
My grandma always used to serve this for Thanksgiving dinner, as well as quartered and stir-fried brussels sprouts. No marshmallow yams or green bean-mushroom soup casserole in her house...
emily20008 at 5:33PM on 10/10/07
I love sauteed cucumbers! I salt the cucumbers and let them sit for 20 minutes or so to remove some of the liquid. Then they get sauteed in a pan with butter and fresh dill. This was my favorite dish as a kid and is still a comfort food in my adulthood.
selizara at 11:35PM on 10/10/07
Mmm, sauteed cucumbers -- I ate them a lot this way growing up. It's very common in Chinese cooking, as foodette mentioned.
wasabigelatine at 11:14AM on 10/11/07
I marinate them in rice vinegar, sugar, mint, basil and chili flakes. The mint and basil are a nice complement to the cucumber. Never thought about them cooked before. Thanks.
ExpatChef at 11:22AM on 10/11/07
i tried foodette's chinese cucumber rec, and it is really really good! added some white vinegar and sugar to balance it out. i think next time i'll add some mint and basil a la ExpatChef. thanks foodette!
protest at 11:27AM on 10/11/07
i cut them into large sections, core them and stuff them with ground pork, dried shitake and other seasonings and braise them in the dried shitake water with some soy sauce, sugar, sliced ginger and scallions.
sassysprite at 1:17PM on 10/11/07