Jim wrote:

> We are experiencing a bumper crop of cucumbers, and we have
> saladed out, pickled out, and have a nice shiny food
> dehydrator,
> so was wondering if anyone has come up with any ways to use
> dried, vacuum packed cucumber slices? I would like to slice
> them, dry them then vacuum pack them with the food saver.
>
> I could think that maybe a soup might work, any other
> suggestions?

<me wishes i lived nearby >

no experience with drying them,

but i love making tsatziki sauce
with cucumbers (consider it
a cold yogurt cucumber soup ).

use plain yogurt (no sugar or
flavorings), add a few cloves of
garlic, some cider vinegar (or
other kind if you like), lemon
juice, a little salt, some olive
oil and a few cucumbers (peeled
or not, i peel mine about 70%).

whir in a food processor until
smooth as you'd like. you can
add sprigs of mint as a garnish or
add a few leaves in when
processing (not too much
though as it overpowers easily).

i use it as a salad dressing,
a cold soup, as a topping for
any greek or mediterranian
(first had it on gyros) dish
with lamb or beef. probably
good on chicken and plain
pasta too.

i have no idea if this would
freeze or can well or not, but
i can't see why it wouldn't
most things in it are either
acidic or loaded with beneficial
microbes or compounds. it's
so easy to make fresh i don't
ever think i would bother
canning it.

perhaps i would add an extra shot
of lemon juice or vitamin C if i were
actually going to try to can this.

mine never makes it past a few
days as i eat it up on almost anything.

also, i don't see any reason to
skimp on the cucumbers if you'd
like to add more. this is all to taste
and fun to experiment with if you
have extra cucumbers.


songbird