Cucumber Shooters Food

COOL AS A CUCUMBER SOUP

Steps:

• In a colander set over a bowl, toss cucumbers with salt. Let stand for 30 minutes. Squeeze and pat dry., Place the cucumbers, yogurt, onion and garlic in a food processor; cover and process until smooth. Stir in dill. Serve immediately in chilled bowls. Garnish with additional onion and dill.

CUCUMBER SHOOTERS

Steps:

• Cut 2 1/2 inches off both ends of the cucumber. Reserve.
• Peel middle sections, cut in half lengthwise, and use a spoon to scrape out seeds. Discard seeds.
• In a blender, puree the middle sections of the cucumbers along with the garlic, shallot, jalapeño, mint and lime juice.
• Strain through a fine strainer.
• Stir in oil and vinegar.
• Refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes.
• Take reserved cucumber ends and slice off bottom 1/4 inch so that they can stand solidly on their ends. Use a zester or pairing knife to create designs in the peel, then use a small melon baller to scoop out most of the cucumber, creating a cucumber shooter glass.
• Serve the chilled cucumber gazpacho in the shooter glasses.

GREEN GAZPACHO SOUP SHOOTERS

Steps:

• Toss the cucumber, vinegar, sugar and 2 teaspoons salt in a medium bowl and set aside at room temperature, tossing occasionally, until juicy, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, put the almonds in a large skillet and heat over medium, swirling them around until golden and toasted in spots, about 3 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Add the oil and garlic, the cucumber mixture along with any collected juices, 6 ice cubes and all but 2 tablespoons each of the almonds and parsley to a blender. Blend on high until very smooth. Refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.
• Pour into 2-ounce shot glasses. Sprinkle each with the reserved almonds and parsley.

CUCUMBER SAKE SHOTS

Steps:

• For the Cucumber Shot Glasses: Cut 4 (2-inch) long pieces out of the cucumber. Use a melon baller to carefully scoop out flesh from 1 end, leaving a 1/2-inch bottom on the other end. Repeat with remaining cucumber pieces, reserving cucumber flesh.
• For the Sake Shots: Combine cucumber flesh with lime juice in a blender. Blend until smooth, about 15 seconds. Pour cucumber puree through a fine mesh strainer, reserving 1/2 cup of cucumber juice. Add sugar and set aside.
• Pour watermelon rum and sake into a cocktail shaker filled with ice cubes. Add reserved cucumber juice and shake vigorously. Pour into cucumber shot glasses. Serve immediately.

COOL CUCUMBER SOUP

Steps:

• Peel the cucumbers, trim the ends, cut in half lengthwise and scrape out the watery area where seeds would be. Coarsely chop. Crush the garlic and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt into a paste with the flat side of a chef's knife. Combine the cucumber, garlic, remaining salt, and the buttermilk in a blender and process until completely smooth. Add half of each of the herbs and the cayenne and pulse several times to combine. Transfer soup to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour or until thoroughly chilled. Before serving, season with salt, pepper, and lemon if desired. Divide among 4 soup bowls and sprinkle with the remaining herbs. Serve.
• Copyright 2001 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved.

GAZPACHO SOUP IN CUCUMBER "SHOOTER"

Steps:

• Cut the whole peeled cucumber into 1 1/2 to 2-inch in long pieces. Stand them upright and trim the bottom so they are level and won't fall over. Using a spoon or a melon baller, remove the inside seeds and pulp 2/3 of the way into the cucumber, forming a "shooter" glass. Put in a bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.
• In a large bowl combine all the remaining ingredients, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. This will give the soup time to meld all the flavors together and let the juices from the vegetables mix.
• When ready to serve, spoon the soup into the cucumber shooter glasses and serve. Let your guests enjoy the soup, then eat the "so called shooter glass".
• A great refreshing chilled soup.