Cucumber glut - A solution at last.

Our cuc plant is gaining on us and producing far more than we can use. I picked 5 on Monday and already had a couple in the kitchen. I didn't want to consign the surplus to compost if they could be used, so suggested to Mrs W that she take them into our village shop and see if they were of use. Shopkeeper was keen to have them and wanted to pay, but Mrs W said 'no, you can have them.' She came home with a free punnet of strawberries - a win-win transaction! :-)

 

My Cucumbers have gone completely ballistic too. I only have 3 plants but they are taking over my greenhouse and determined to outdo each other. Went for a hospital check up today armed with 8 cucumbers to give away. Wish I had had a camera to have captured the doctor's face when i said I wanted to ask him a question he might not have been asked before "would you like a cucumber or 8"?, He fell about laughing and relieved me of 2. I gave the rest away to a nurse and the reception staff. What do I do tomorrow as probably another 8 will be ready to pick?

 

I'm doing much the same tomorrow and taking the nurse a bag of baby plum toms and a cuc. It's nice to be able to share.

 

Definitely agree with the pickle ... not sure about the wine though!

 

Cook smaller mature fruits in curries - they're excellent!

 

Can you give me a good recipe @shiney for the hot version? I have a family rebellion on my hands as it is with salads featuring heavily plus gazpacho being served almost daily. That soup is helping with the glut but not enough. Can you use frozen Cucumbers to make the soup? as that would be a distinct advantage. I always make good strong homemade chicken stock and so have plenty of that if the hot version calls for same. I can see a slight similarity to my celery "issue" last season ........

We have only recently stopped having celery soup on the menu. Cucumber soup all winter looks odds on to happen this year.

 

Had a look and Delia seems to do what sounds a tasty 1, I'll give it a go.

 

The dehydrated cucumber slices look lovely @JWK - is that an electric dehydrator they're sitting in? If so, what other sorts of fruit and veg can you dry in it?