[shokkyy]

I've got several very big cucumbers to use up right now, and the courgettes have about run out, so I'm wondering if I could get away with using cucumbers instead of courgettes in ratatouille. Anyone ever tried this?

[Mrs Bee]

Not used them in rataouille but I have used them in stir frys. I would think you could use them in ratatouille too provided you make the rat and add the cucumber towards the end so they don't go too limp and soggy.

[Trillium]

I figure the same as Mrs Ball - the cukes are more watery than courgettes and would go mushy if cooked too long so add them at the end.

[shokkyy]

I just have this pile of enormous cucumbers in my fridge and haven't a clue what to do with them

I've tried pickling them and didn't like them that way. I could do soup but my OH wouldn't eat it. Not too much else you can do with them really, is there.

[New shoot]

Mrs Ball is right about the stir fry idea - this is an old Ken Hom recipe that I use

Garlic Chicken with Cucumber

450g (1lb) boneless chicken cut into cubes
450g (1lb) cucumber
2 tsp salt
1 tbsp oil
1+1/2 tbsp finely chopped garlic
1 tbsp finely chopped spring onion
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp rice wine or dry sherry
2 tsp chilli bean sauce or chilli powder to taste
2 tsp sesame oil

Peel the cucumber, cut in half and scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon.  Cut into cubes, sprinkle with the salt and leave 30 mins.  Rinse and drain, then blot dry with kitchen towlel.

Heat the wok, add oil when hot and then add the chicken and fry for a minute or 2.  Add everything except the cucumber and fry 2 mins.  Add the cucumber and fry for another 3 mins, then serve immediately.

Easy and very tasty  

[shokkyy]

Ooh, that sounds nice. I'll give that a try.

[Mrs Bee]

Yes that is one I have used. I have also used the Sharwood sauces and lobbed in cucumber at the end.

Also cut cucumbers into batons after deseeding them and shred spring onion thinly and put them into chinese pancakes, (you can get them for about £3-4 at chinese wholesalers or shops in the freezer and serve with your stir fry.

You could make a peking duck substitute by marinading chicken breast or duck breast if you feel flush, in a hoi sin sauce or just a little sesame oil soy sauce grated ginger and garlic and roasting them and then slicing thinly and puting them in the pancakes with the cucumber, spring onion and a little hoisin sauce. Sharwoods is the best.

Cucumbers also make a nice dipping sauce when mixed with a little rice wine vinegar, chopped spring onions, soy sauce and sesame oil.
 

[Mrs Bee]

PS. you could also use them in a curry at the end of cooking and make them into a cucmber and mint raita.

[arugula]

Dehydrate them?

[shokkyy]

Oh, I'd forgotten about Chinese duck butties, I adore those. No idea how they manage to shred spring onions up as thin as that, but I'll definitely give that one a go.

I have an experimental cucumber ratatouille on the stove as we speak. Some of these cucumbers are the size of marrows, and even after peeling and deseeding they're still massive, which is why I was thinking of things like ratatouille that will get rid of a lot in one go. Strange that they seem to be used so much more in Indian and Chinese cooking than they are in English, particularly given our unique fondness for cucumber sandwiches

[shokkyy]

I can report back that it worked very well indeed in the ratatouille. And I didn't even put them in late either. I meant to, but in the end I was in a rush to get everything on so I just chucked it all in the pan, switched it on and left it. They didn't disintegrate at all, but I had removed the softest part from the middle where the seeds are.

Not only did I get rid of quite a bit of cucumber, but I also managed to use this year's crop of miniature aubergines and a few of the tomatoes that have been ripening on the windowsill