Monday, May 18, 2009

Cool as a cucumber.

Unique presentation ideas.

The cucumber season is upon us, the green guys are at their best from May through July. Cucumbers are a great source of Vitamin C, Vitamin A and potassium. Most people see the cucumber as a crunchy addition to salads or a great burger topper in its pickled form. However, there is more to this vegetable than just a delicious crisp taste. Look at all the ways you can use cucumbers at your next party.

Does this sound familiar? You have just set the perfect buffet only to realize that the olives are missing. Unfortunately you don’t have much room left and all your bowls are already filled. Problem solved. Slice the top quarter off of a cucumber, scoop out the insides and you have an instant olive tray that won’t take up much space.



When serving a large number of people an inexpensive side option is salad. However, it is hard to judge how much salad is enough and then there is the thought of all the extra dishes to wash. Cucumber to the rescue…this makes a great presentation and allows you to pre-plate your salad right along side your main course without any additional dishes. I like to use a 4” Springform pan as a guide then cut the cucumbers thin with a mandoline and soak them in a little vinaigrette to make them pliable. Then just wrap the cucumber slices around the salad for a little structure.




Looking for a little pop of color for your table or buffet? Add a few slices to water.


And the morning after your get together, place a couple of those slices on your eyes for a few minutes to get rid of the party puffiness.

2 comments:

leni said...

that looks delicious!

Jen @ SecondCitySoiree said...

I like the cucumber-as-bowl idea!