Cucumber Cups With Horseradish Food

CUCUMBER CUPS WITH HORSERADISH

Steps:

• Combine the cream cheese, mayonnaise, and horseradish; chill at least 30 minutes.
• Score the cucumber lengthwise with the tines of a fork.
• Cut the cucumber crosswise into 1/2-inch slices, making 18.
• Using a melon baller or 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon, scoop out a small hollow on the straight side.
• Do not cut all the way through.
• Transfer the cream cheese mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a fluted tip. Pipe the cheese mixture into the cucumber cups.
• (Use a small spoon if a pastry bag is not available.)
• Garnish the tops of the cups with parsley or dill sprigs.

PAN SEARED AND ROASTED SALMON WITH CRISP CUCUMBER SALAD; HORSERADISH DIJON SAUCE

Steps:

• Salad: Peel the cucumbers, trim the ends, and cut in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds by scooping out the centers of the cucumbers with a teaspoon. Slice cucumbers crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces, place them into a colander fitted over a bowl, and toss with salt. Weigh the cucumbers down lightly with another bowl fitted inside the colander, and place cucumbers in the refrigerator. Drain for 1 to 2 hours. Transfer cucumbers to a mixing bowl and toss with the onion and red pepper. In a separate small bowl, dissolve the sugar in the vinegar, pour vinegar over the top of the cucumbers, and toss in the dill. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving.
• Sauce: Whip the cream until thick and add the horseradish and mustard. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, whisking. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Set aside until serving.
• Salmon: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place a large, oven-proof saute pan over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and swirl to coat the bottom. Season the fillets with salt and pepper, brush each fillet generously with butter onto the skin side only. Place the fillet into the hot pan, butter side down, and brown for 2 minutes over high heat. Pop the pan into the oven for 3 minutes. Remove and serve.
• Plating: Mound one quarter of the cucumber salad into the center of each plate, and top with one salmon fillet, skin side-up. Surround with one quarter of sauce, and serve.

CUCUMBER HORSERADISH SAUCE

Steps:

• In a bowl whisk together the cucumber, the sour cream, the horseradish, the vinegar, the minced tarragon, and salt and pepper to taste and chill the sauce, covered, for at least 2 hours and up to 1 day. Transfer the sauce to a serving dish and garnish it with the tarragon sprig.

SHRIMP STUFFED CUCUMBER CUPS

Steps:

• Peel the length of each cucumber to form alternating stripes of unpeeled and peeled. Cut the cucumbers into 12 (3/4-inch) pieces. Scoop out the center using a teaspoon or a melon baller, leaving the bottom and sides intact to form a cup. (Reserve the centers for the Round 2 Recipe Chicken Tacos with Cucumber Salsa.) Turn them upside down onto a towel and let them drain while you make the filling.
• Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over medium heat. Add the shrimp and cook until bright pink, about 3 to 4 minutes. Strain and rinse in cold water. Remove the shells and discard. (Reserve 12 shrimp for the Round 2 Recipe Shrimp and Potato Salad with Sour Cream and Bacon Dressing.)
• Chop the shrimp into small pieces and put them into a bowl. Add the horseradish, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste, half the can of tomatoes (reserve the remaining half for the Round 2 Recipe Chicken Tacos with Cucumber Salsa) and 1 tablespoon of parsley. Evenly divide the shrimp mixture between the cucumber cups. Arrange them on a serving platter and garnish with remaining parsley.

SHRIMP AND CUCUMBER SALAD WITH HORSERADISH MAYO

Steps:

• Make the horseradish mayonnaise by whisking together the mayonnaise, horseradish, vinegar, some salt, pepper, and more horseradish, if desired; fold in tarragon.
• Line a baking sheet with paper towels to drain the shrimp once it is poached.
• In a large, wide pot, combine dill, shallot, peppercorns, bay leaf, 3 tablespoons salt, squeeze the juice from both lemon halves, then drop in the lemon halves; add 3 quarts of water and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to medium and let poaching liquid simmer for 10 minutes.
• Working in batches, place the shrimp in a sieve, lower into the poaching liquid, shaking now and then, until shrimp begins to curl and turn opaque, 15-20 seconds; transfer to paper towels to cool.
• Combine cucumber, cooled shrimp, and 1/4 cup of the horseradish mayonnaise and fold to coat; season with salt, pepper, and more horseradish, if desired.

CUCUMBER-HORSERADISH BITES

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients except crackers until well blended; cover.
• Refrigerate at least 1 hour to allow flavors to blend.
• Spoon about 1 tsp. of the cucumber mixture onto each cracker just before serving.

CUCUMBER SALAD (WITH HORSERADISH & MUSTARD)

Steps:

• Slice cucumbers approximately 1/8 inch thick.
• Sprinkle sliced cucumbers with salt and let stand for 15 minutes; rinse, drain and pat dry.
• Mix together the vinegar, sugar, mustard, horseradish and dill. Add to cucumbers along with the sliced onions. Let stand for 15 minutes.
• This will keep in the refrigerator for a few days.

CUCUMBERS AND DILL IN HORSERADISH CREAM

Steps:

• Stir together sour cream, horseradish, dill, scallion, salt, and pepper in a bowl, then stir in cucumber until coated. Let stand for 30 minutes to allow flavors to develop.

CUCUMBER CUPS

Steps:

• Peel the cucumbers and slice length wise into 1¼ inch pieces.
• Using a melon baller, carve out the seeds to create a vessel, making sure to leave the bottom intact.
• Using a piping bag or a small spoon, fill each one with hummus (about 1 teaspoons each).
• Sprinkle with paprika and finely chopped parsley.

SHRIMP AND CUCUMBER SALAD WITH HORSERADISH MAYO

Steps:

• Whisk mayonnaise, 1/4 cup horseradish, and vinegar in a small bowl to blend. Season horseradish mayonnaise to taste with salt, pepper, and more horseradish, if desired. Fold in tarragon.
• line a baking sheet with paper towels. Combine dill, next 3 ingredients, and 3 tablespoons salt in a large wide pot. Squeeze juice from lemon halves into pot; add lemon halves. Add 3 quarts water and bring to a boil. reduce heat to medium; simmer poaching liquid for 10 minutes.
• Working in batches, place shrimp in a sieve and poach, shaking sieve occasionally, until shrimp just begin to curl and turn opaque, 15-20 seconds. Transfer to prepared sheet; let cool.
• Combine cucumber, shrimp, and 1/4 cup horseradish mayonnaise in a medium bowl; fold to coat. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and more horseradish, if desired. DO AHEAD: Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover and chill shrimp and remaining mayonnaise separately.

BEET AND CUCUMBER SALAD WITH CREAMY HORSERADISH DRESSING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Wrap beets in foil. Bake until tender when pierced with fork, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Cool. Peel beets. Cut each beet into 8 rounds. Whisk sour cream, 1 1/2 teaspoons vinegar, horseradish, and sugar in bowl to blend. Season dressing with salt and pepper. (Beets and dressing can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately and chill.)
• Toss watercress with corn oil and remaining 4 teaspoons vinegar in large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Divide watercress among 4 plates. Overlap beet slices and cucumber slices atop each. Drizzle with dressing and serve.

CREAMY CUCUMBER & SWEET ONION SALAD W/DILL HORSERADISH DRESS

Steps:

• Combine all of the ingredients except radicchio in a medium mixing bowl.
• Cover and chill until serving time.
• Recipe note: Serve salad inside a radicchio lettuce cup for a dramatic presentation.

CUCUMBER CUPS WITH DILL CREAM AND SMOKED SALMON

Steps:

• Trim ends from cucumbers and cut crosswise into 24 (3/4-inch-thick) rounds. Scoop a 1/2-inch-deep depression from one side of each round with a small melon-baller, forming little cups. Drain cucumbers, cup sides down, on paper towels for 15 minutes.
• Beat cream cheese, chopped dill, lemon zest, lemon juice, and black pepper together in a bowl. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon cheese mixture into each cucumber cup. Top each cup with 1 salmon strip and 1 dill sprig.