What to do with too many cukes

By Linda Garrettson

To all you gardeners out there, and to all of you who are on the receiving end of anyone’s late summer garden, you’re going need recipes for cucumbers. I don’t know about anyone else, but this was a banner year for that juicy, cooling veggie in my garden.

It was also a banner year for cabbage worms and slugs. I know the cabbage worms are picky eaters, which is why my kale, collards and broccoli look like green sticks. Luckily they turned their noses up at the cucumbers and herbs.

I’m guessing that those slimy slugs did not go near the cucumbers because of the prickly leaves and stems. Even my pickling cucumbers had prickers on their skins. Thank you, Mother Nature, for that reprieve and the gift of 150 cucumbers.

One can only eat so much tabbouleh and cucumber salad. Many jars of bread and butter pickles are finding their way to every pickle lover I know. That leaves me with the Divas, a tasteless, yellow monster that manages to grow to ridiculous sizes in a few days. My solution is…gazpacho!

Here are four recipes that use cucumbers, add some surprises to an otherwise bland vegetable, and even help with the overabundance of tomatoes. Buen provecho. Enjoy your meal!

Mellow Yellow Gazpacho
Yield 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients
2 yellow apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
1-2 giant cucumbers, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 cups yellow tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 yellow peppers, ribs and seeds removed, chopped
½ yellow onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped
2 tsp sherry vinegar
Fresh mint, one handful of leaves
1 tsp sea salt

Method
•Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor.
• Pulse to a chunky consistency
• Refrigerate and serve cold

Creamy Green Gazpacho
Yield 6 cups

Ingredients
2 large cucumbers, peeled, seeded and chopped (6 cups more or less)
1 avocado, peeled, seed removed
½ cup of non-fat, plain Greek yogurt
½ cup of coconut water
3 scallions, chopped
2 limes, zest and juice
1 handful each of fresh basil and mint leaves
Dash of cayenne pepper

Method
• Place all ingredients in a high-speed blender
• Puree until smooth
• Refrigerate 4-6 hours

Kickin’ Creamy Green Gazpacho
Yield 6 cups

Ingredients
¾ cup coconut water
1 large or 2 small avocados, peeled and seed removed
2 large cucumbers, peeled, seeded and chopped
5 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
½ red onion, peeled and chopped
2 limes, zest and juice
2 tsp Korean melon vinegar*
1 tsp Korean strawberry Gochujans red pepper paste*
1 tsp sea salt

Method
•Place all ingredients in a high-speed blender, puree until smooth
• Refrigerate 4-6 hours
*Not everyone has these ingredients on their shelves. I wouldn’t either but was given samples to try. I recommended stepping out of your comfort zone if you haven’t tried some of these exceptional flavorings.

Tomato & Watermelon Gazpacho*
Yield 4 large servings

Ingredients
2-4 large red tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
3 cups watermelon flesh and seeds removed, chopped
1 celeriac root, peeled and chopped
1 onion, chopped
4 slices, sourdough bread
2/3 cup tomato or vegetable juice
2 handfuls of fresh basil leaves
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
Sea salt

Method
• Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender, pulse to a chunky blend
*This is close to the original Andalusian gazpacho, dating back to the 8th century, minus the watermelon. I’ve added this recipe for all of you who need some relief from caprese salads.