On 6/9/06 21:10, in article
, "Mary Fisher"
wrote:
snip
It's a pity I can't think of a way to preserve all the cucumbers - and only
from three plants.

This might help: http://www.seasonalchef.com/recipe30.htm
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/

"Liz" wrote in message
.. .


It's a pity I can't think of a way to preserve all the cucumbers - and
only
from three plants.

We've had over 30kg of cucumber from 4 (now reduced to 3) Passandra
cucumber
plants and they're still going strong. We've turned most of them into
sweet
cucumber relish. Excellent stuff it is, so we've done the same with some
of
the green tomatoes.

I'd like to know more about the cucumber relish ...

Mary

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 6/9/06 21:10, in article
, "Mary Fisher"
wrote:
snip
It's a pity I can't think of a way to preserve all the cucumbers - and
only
from three plants.

This might help: http://www.seasonalchef.com/recipe30.htm

Thanks, Sacha, but mine aren't the pickling type, they're long. And BIG.
Telegraph or Marketmore or both - saved seed so I'm not sure.

Mary

"Mary Fisher" wrote in message
. net...

"Liz" wrote in message
.. .


It's a pity I can't think of a way to preserve all the cucumbers - and
only
from three plants.

We've had over 30kg of cucumber from 4 (now reduced to 3) Passandra
cucumber
plants and they're still going strong. We've turned most of them into
sweet
cucumber relish. Excellent stuff it is, so we've done the same with some
of
the green tomatoes.

I'd like to know more about the cucumber relish ...

Mary

Hi Mary

This is my adapted recipe which is a conglomeration of various sweet relish
recipes I found and which is easiest and most successful for me.
It is fantastic with cold meats, cheese, new potatoes - in fact it is
wonderful with just about everything. We also grow a lot of tomatoes and it
is by far the best use of green tomatoes we have found so far. We had a
massive crop of Maskotka tomatoes which are a bush variety. The crop was
phenomenal but the bushes were far to dense and overcrowded for the fruit to
ripen properly. They were flopping all over the place and ended up getting
powdery mildew so we took them out of polytunnel to prevent disease spread
and harvested about 25 kg from 5 plants and my SO turned the green ones into
sweet tomato relish using the recipe below.

RECIPE SWEET CUCUMBER RELISH

5 pints finely chopped unpeeled cucumbers
2 pints ground red peppers (you can be flexible with peppers)
1 pint ground green peppers
3 pints ground onions ( I think I only used about 2 -2.5 pints and it was
fine)
1/4 pint "Kosher"/sea salt (to sprinkle over veggies). If using sea salt I
grind it in a coffee grinder first.
3 1/2 pints sugar
2 pints white vinegar/ apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoon mustard seeds
2 tablespoon celery seeds
1 tablespoon turmeric powder (can leave out if you wish as it tends to turn
the relish a bit yellow)

note - I also added a large teaspoon (or more) of chopped/mashed red
chillies to give a bit of added flavour

My methods for making relish.

1. Halve the cucumbers and remove the watery seed-filled centre which can
be a little bitter
2. Chop finely (original recipe says to put through food processor but I
think it makes it too mushy. First batch I did a couple of pints of
cucumber in processor and rest chopped by hand and it was quite a good
balance)
3. chop onions & peppers in processor (works really well)
4. Place all veggies in large bowl(s) & sprinkle with salt. (NB you must
use "Kosher"/ preserving or finely ground sea salt - basically not salt with
anti-caking agent as it makes the relish cloudy so I've read)
5. Cover with cold water, let stand 4 hours minimum.
6. Drain thoroughly in colander, press out all excess liquid. This is a
pain in the b*tt bit as you have to squeeze out as much of the liquid as
possible. NB I also decided to rinse the veggies first to wash out the
salt.
7. Combine sugar, vinegar, turmeric, celery seed & mustard seed.
8. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
9. Stir in drained vegetables, simmer 10 minutes (says the recipe, but I
simmer it for about 40-50 minutes especially if you leave any toughish skins
on the cucumber)
10. I also add some cornflour (mixed with small amount of water of
vinegar) to thicken it up a bit if needed at end of cooking but remember
that it will be thicker when cold anyway.
11. Pour into jars to within 1/2 inch of the top. (NB I also put a waxed
disc on top to stop the vinegar eating into any exposed metal on jar lids).
You could also use
cellophane jam covers, I didn't bother as it's too much hassle and lids are
easier!
12. Put on cap and screw tight.

The original recipe says to "process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
I don't bother!

And most importantly, enjoy!

Liz





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In reply to Liz ) who wrote this in
, I, Marvo, say :

big recipe

I soak wash them in cold water for an hour, changing the water every 15
minutes. You lose the bitter taste of the middle that way, so you don't have
to discard it. Very important if you're making a cucumber dressing for greek
or moroccan-style stuff, when the flavour can't be boosted up with the
chilli.

I'm going to try your recipe at the weekend.

Cheers.

"Uncle Marvo" wrote in message
...
In reply to Liz ) who wrote this in
, I, Marvo, say :

big recipe

I soak wash them in cold water for an hour, changing the water every 15
minutes. You lose the bitter taste of the middle that way, so you don't
have
to discard it. Very important if you're making a cucumber dressing for
greek
or moroccan-style stuff, when the flavour can't be boosted up with the
chilli.

Apart from the slight bitterness of the cucumber centre, I find that leaving
the seedy centre in makes it just a bit too watery for the recipe.

I'm going to try your recipe at the weekend.

I look forward to your report back :-)

Liz



--
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"Uncle Marvo" wrote in message
...
In reply to Liz ) who wrote this in
, I, Marvo, say :

big recipe

I soak wash them in cold water for an hour, changing the water every 15
minutes. You lose the bitter taste of the middle that way,

I've never found a bitter taste in any cucumber ...

Mary

"Liz" wrote in message
.. .

This is my adapted recipe which is a conglomeration of various sweet
relish
recipes I found and which is easiest and most successful for me.
snip

And most importantly, enjoy!

Thanks, Liz, it's now copied to my recipes folder and will be used. We love
cucumber but I know we shan't be able to consume all those we have!

Mary

On 7/9/06 20:48, in article
, "Mary Fisher"
wrote:


"Liz" wrote in message
.. .

This is my adapted recipe which is a conglomeration of various sweet
relish
recipes I found and which is easiest and most successful for me.
snip

And most importantly, enjoy!

Thanks, Liz, it's now copied to my recipes folder and will be used. We love
cucumber but I know we shan't be able to consume all those we have!

What about as a soup? No recipes to offer atm but I wonder if that would
work.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 7/9/06 20:48, in article
, "Mary Fisher"
wrote:

snip


What about as a soup? No recipes to offer atm but I wonder if that would
work.

I considered that, but we have enough parsnips & peppers for a lovely soup.
The relish is a lot tastier. I imagine cucumber soup might be a little
tasteless without a lot of doctoring. On the subject of excess crops and
soup.....if anyone has excess courgettes, then courgette and apple soup is
gorgeous with a blob of creme fraiche and some homemade brown bread.

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/




--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

In article , Liz
writes

I imagine cucumber soup might be a little
tasteless without a lot of doctoring.

I thought cucumbers were very good for putting on tired eyes?
Well, granted you could slice them first

--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

"Janet Tweedy" wrote in message
...
In article , Liz
writes

I imagine cucumber soup might be a little
tasteless without a lot of doctoring.

I thought cucumbers were very good for putting on tired eyes?
Well, granted you could slice them first

:-)

If I had enough of a tired eye problem to need 30kg of cucumbers I think I'd
need to:
a) see a doctor
b) examine my life-style more closely

Actually, the cucumbers are causing their own medical problem - sore heads
& black eyes - people walking into them in the polytunnel. Thankfully I
have a cure for the black eyes....................:-)

Liz



--
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"Liz" wrote in message
.. .


I thought cucumbers were very good for putting on tired eyes?
Well, granted you could slice them first

:-)

If I had enough of a tired eye problem to need 30kg of cucumbers I think
I'd
need to:
a) see a doctor
b) examine my life-style more closely

You know, I was trying to express this sentiment in some way but you've done
it far more eloquently than I could!

Actually, the cucumbers are causing their own medical problem - sore
heads
& black eyes - people walking into them in the polytunnel.

Yes ...

Thankfully I
have a cure for the black eyes....................:-)

Expensive in steaks though.

Mary

Liz



--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

"Mary Fisher" wrote in message
. net...

"Uncle Marvo" wrote in message
...
In reply to Liz ) who wrote this in
, I, Marvo, say :

big recipe

I soak wash them in cold water for an hour, changing the water every 15
minutes. You lose the bitter taste of the middle that way,

I've never found a bitter taste in any cucumber ...

This could be an urban scientific legend but I remember hearing somewhere
that some people react to something in cucumbers that tastes bitter and
others do not and that it is genetic. People who like cucumbers find them
bland and crunchy while people who do not like them (like me) find them
sharp and bitter and with a very strong distinct flavour. My wife finds
them tasteless and one of our kids does but not the other.
Oddly, I like cucumber relish and pickled cucumber and raita and tzatziki so
whatever the bitter taste comes from may be deactivated by Ph or something.
Raw cucumber I find unpleasant except in small doses.

Des in Dublin



Mary

"Des Higgins" wrote in message
. ie...



I've never found a bitter taste in any cucumber ...

This could be an urban scientific legend but I remember hearing somewhere
that some people react to something in cucumbers that tastes bitter and
others do not and that it is genetic.

Ah - like sprouts!

People who like cucumbers find them bland and crunchy

Oh not bland! The flavour is delicate but not bland. I love the ones I grow,
they have a definite flavour, I can't remember what shop-bought cucs taste
like.

Oddly, I like cucumber relish and pickled cucumber and raita and tzatziki
so whatever the bitter taste comes from may be deactivated by Ph or
something.
Raw cucumber I find unpleasant except in small doses.

That's a pity.

There again, I can't bear radish!

Mary