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Isn't there a Julia Child's recipe for sauteed cucumbers that supposed to be really good (according to Julie Powell)?

My mother use to saute cucumbers (peeled and seeded) with Chinese celery and squid (cleaned and sliced into strips). I liked it, a very delicately flavored dish. The cucumbers remain somewhat crisp even after cooking.

invite people over for "tea". make sandwiches with white bread, mayo and sliced cucumbers and serve them with cookies and the tea. the important part is to invite people over... so you arent the only one eating them... then they should go fast.

Sesame Noodles with Cucumber

1/4 c. toasted sesame oil
3 T. soy sauce or tamari
1 T. rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar
2 t. sugar
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. minced garlic (optional)
8 oz. dried Chinese noodles or vermicelli
1-2 large Kirby cucumbers, trimmed, peeled, halved and seeded.
2 T. toasted sesame seeds or chopped peanuts

In a large serving bowl, whisk sugar, vinegar, soy, salt, garlic, sesame oil and peanut butter together until well blended and smooth. This may be done an hour or two ahead.
Cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling water until tender, but firm. Drain in a large colander. Rinse under cold water until the noodles are cooled. Drain well.
Add noodles to dressing in the large serving bowl, tossing to coat well. Cool completely, tossing one or two more times.
While the noodles are cooling, cut the cucumber halves lengthwise into strips as thin as possible. The strips should match the thickness of the noodles.

To serve, put the cucumber strips over the center of the noodles; sprinkle the sesame seeds on top of cucumbers. Toss thoroughly and serve.

Variations-
-Tahini may be substituted for peanut butter, adding a nice flavor twist.
-Add a tablespoon of chopped cilantro, pinch of hot pepper flakes and a squeeze of lime to the dressing for more kick.
-Substitute ponzu for soy sauce for a citrus twist.

Recipe adapted from Barbara Kafka’s Vegetable Love
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Fresh Frozen Cucumbers

6 servings

1 quart fresh cucumbers
1-1/2 c. thinly sliced onion
1/4 c. coarse salt
1/2 c. vinegar
1 c. sugar

Peel cucumbers and slive very thin. Combine with onions in a medium sized glass or non-reactive bowl. Add salt to cucumber/onions and cover with cold water. Add 12 ice cubes and let sit for 4-6 hours. Chill.

Drain the cucumber mixture well in a colander, then blot them dry with a clean kitchen towel.

Boil vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan; cool. Mix with cucumbers ad freeze in portion sized containers.

Take out of freezer a dn thaw before serving. *Wanda’s tip: Break them apart while still partially frozen. Serve while still cold.

Recipe adapted from Grandma’s Home Kitchen by Wanda Peterson Mango
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Sour Gherkins

Makes 1 quart

4 cups water
7 tsp. pickling salt
1-1/2 tsp. pickling spice
6 sprigs fresh dill
2 dill flowers
2 cloves garlic, peeled and slightly crushed
1 lb. (16-20 2-inch-long) pickling cucumbers

In a medium, no-reactive saucepan, add water, salt and spices. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, uncover and cool. (Spped cooling by placing pan in an ice-water bath)

Place 6 dill sprigs, 1 dill flower and 1 clove garlic in the bottom of a sterilized 1-qt. jar. Add the cucumbers. Top with remaining dill flower and garlic, leaving 1 inch of headspace. Pour cooled brine over the cucumbers to withing 1/8 inch of jar lip. You may have excess brine. Make sure spices get in jar. Wipe jar edge clean. Place sterilized lid firmly on jar and screw the ring on.

Out of direct sunlight and away from heat, place the jar upside down on a counter overnight. After overnight, refrigerate.

Gherkins will be ready to eat in 10 days after refrigerating. Shelf life- about 6 months.

I eat half a dozen cukes every day in season and never tire of them.

This is very refreshing, sorta pickley, but won't really seem like pickles: mix equal amounts sugar and vinegar. at least 1T each per cuke. Slice cukes (probably peeled, but it's up to you) add sugar/vinegar and water to cover. Let sit at least half an hour.

or:

remove some water from sliced cukes by soaking with a little salt for half an hour. drain, rinse, dain. Make a sauce of 1 cup sour cream, pinch sugar, 2 tsp cider vinegar, 1T minced onion, bp, herbs if you want. let sit on cukes for at least half an hour. 1 cup of sour cream will coat 2-3 cukes. Use left over sour cream (if any) for salad dressing.

Ginger Peanut Pasta Salad

Salad Ingredients
8 oz. corkscrew macaroni or fine noodles
20 fresh pea pods (tips and stems removed)
1 small cucumber (quartered lengthwise and sliced)
2 medium carrots (cut into long thin strips)
1 medium yellow and/or green sweet pepper (cut into thin strips)
3/4 cup thinly sliced radishes (optional)
1/2 cup bias-sliced green onions
3 Tbsp. snipped fresh cilantro
1 recipe Ginger Salad dressing (below)
1/3 cup chopped peanuts
Cook pasta according to package directions. During last 30 seconds, add pea pods. Rinse with cold water and drain. Combine pasta and veggies. Add Ginger Salad dressing and toss gently to coat. Cover and chill for 2-8 hours. To serve, toss salad and sprinkle w/ peanuts.

Ginger Salad Dressing

1/4 cup salad oil
3 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp grated ginger root
several dashes hot pepper sauce (I used Durkee's)
Combine ingredients in a jar. Cover and shake. Can chill up to 3 days.

Oh I agree with Hilary's suggestion of tzatziki sauce.
Its so good on soooo many things. I used to eat it on burgers, sandwiches, pitas, dips, spreads omg so good!

* 3 cups plain yogurt (do not use low-fat or nonfat try for greek)
* 1 English hothouse cucumber (about 16 ounces), I like mine half-peeled seeds in (but some beg to differ)
* 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
* 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley (or even cilantro?)
* 1 large garlic clove, minced very very fine

Place strainer over large bowl. Line strainer with 3 layers of cheesecloth. Spoon yogurt into cheesecloth-lined strainer; let stand at room temperature to drain 3 hours (liquid will drain out and yogurt will thicken). Transfer yogurt to medium bowl; discard liquid.

Meanwhile, coarsely grate cucumber using your standard grator. Place in another strainer; let stand at room temperature until most of liquid drains out, about 3 hours. Discard liquid. Squeeze excess moisture from cucumber.

Mix cucumber, herbs and garlic into yogurt. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

You will never be the same. :)

Other than making lots of tzatziki, I am so on board with the pickling suggestion. I don't have a garden so right now, I would love to have an influx of cucumber. Delicious. Also a white gazpacho.

An old southern summer favorite - sliced cukes, onions and tomatoes in white vinegar served chilled

Juice them and use 'em for cucumber martinis. Did this at a party a few years ago and friends still talk about it.

@maryannm: As a cucumber, gin and vodka lover: would you be so kind to provide your recipe/technique?

Do you use a juicer?
Vodka or Gin or....?
...sounds like I found my martini-bliss!