Since this is the harvest season, and I hope that my little homily on the pleasures of marketing has been an inspiration. I have chosen two vegetables as the subject of this month's class in classic cuisine: cucumbers and eggplant. It is strange but true that two of our most common vegetables, potatoes and tomatoes, came into the cuisine of the Western World only recently, as gastronomical history counts time—within the last two centuries—while cucumbers and eggplant, which are natives of southern Asia and have been popular for several thousands of years in the countries that border the Mediterranean, have never been as enthusiastically received in this country. Cucumbers, particularly, are practically never cooked, although Americans enjoy them raw, in salads or marinated in vinaigrette sauce, or as pickles. But cucumbers arc very good indeed when they are cooked—and this is useful information if you have a patch of garden. Even one cucumber plant will produce dozens and dozens of cucumbers, but since your friends' gardens are equally prolific, you may find that you can't even give them away! I think that you will agree, once you have tried them, that cooked cucumbers are a delicious and different vegetable.
To prepare cucumbers as a hot vegetable, select medium to large ones. Peel them, split them, and if the seeds are large remove them, for large cucumber seeds are tough and will not soften in cooking. The vegetable itself, however, is very watery and must not be overcooked. It should be very well seasoned, since its own flavor is mild and delicate.
Sautéed Cucumbers
Peel large cucumbers and cut them in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds and cut the halves into 1-inch lengths. Parboil the pieces in salted water to cover for 10 to 15 minutes and drain them thoroughly. Heat enough butter to cover the bottom of a skillet, sprinkle the cucumbers with salt and sugar, and cook them in the hot butter until they are light gold in color. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve hot.
Cucumbers au Jus
Pour over sautéed cucumbers a little clear juice from roasted meat.
Stuffed Cucumbers
Peel large cucumbers, cut them in 2-inch slices, parboil them in salted water for 8 to 10 minutes, and drain them. Cut the seeds from the center of each slice, to make thick rings. Line a heatproof platter with thin slices of fat salt pork and lay the cucumber rings on the pork. Stuff them with any of the following: duxelles — made of minced mushrooms — chopped meat stuffing, chopped fish stuffing, or duxelles combined either with rice or with meat or fish stuffing. Sprinkle the stuffed cucumber rings with fine bread crumbs and a little melted butter. Pour stock around the cucumbers to a depth of ½ inch and bake the rings in a very hot oven (450° F.) or put them under the broiler until they are heated through and browned. Stuffed cucumbers may also be made by cutting the cucumbers in half lengthwise, scooping out the seeds, and filling the parboiled boatshaped shells.
Duxelles for Stuffing
Clean, dry, and chop finely½pound mushrooms. Cook the mushrooms in 2 tablespoons butter with I tablespoon chopped shallot until the mixture is quite dry. Add½teaspoon salt and a little pepper, 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley, 2 tablespoons meat gravy or tomato sauce, and 2 or 3 tablespoons fine fresh bread crumbs. The mixture should be dry.
This duxelles may be combined with rice, in the proportion of ¼ Cup to each cup of cooked rice, and moistened with additional gravy or tomato sauce.
Meat Stuffing for Cucumbers
Chop finely 1½pounds cooked lamb, beef, veal, or chicken. In 1 tablespoon butter brown lightly 1 onion, finely chopped. Add 2/3 cup meat gravy and½cup tomato sauce—or 1 tablespoon tomato paste mixed with½cup beef consommé—1 tablespoon chopped parsley, and the chopped meat, Bring the mixture to the boiling point, turn down the heat, and cook it very slowly on top of the stove, or in a moderate oven (350° F.) for about 45 minutes, stirring it occasionally to prevent scorching. Correct the seasoning with salt and freshly ground' pepper. The mixture should be quite dry; if necessary add some fresh soft bread crumbs, since the stuffing will soften as it absorbs liquid from the cucumbers.
Fish Stuffing for Cucumbers
Combine finely chopped cooked fish or shellfish with half its volume of Mornay sauce (March, 1957) and enough fresh bread crumbs to make a firm, fairly dry mixture. Stuff cucumbers and sprinkle them with grated Parmesan. Brown the topping in a very hot oven (450° F.) or under the broiler.
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