One Cucumber, Many Uses

Update: minor adjustments to Quick Pickles measurements.


My biggest problem with fresh produce is I never use it all immediately and end up with waste. Generally, I dice or slice any remaining produce and freeze them.

But, cucumbers don’t freeze well. So, I have a few ways to prepare cucumbers for multiple uses without waste.


One Cucumber, Many Uses

With 1 large cucumber:

Wash and cut in half, in the middle.

With one half:

Peel.



Cut into slices (round).

1. Put slices into a jar of water to make cucumber water.

2. Dice remaining slices, place in a container.
Use with various sauces, see choices in Cucumber Bonanza post on this blog.


With the second half:

Cut into length-wise strips (julienne).
Cut away the seeds. 

3. Place strips into a jar with spices to make quick pickles. See DIY Quick Pickles below.

4. Dice any remaining strips, save in a container. Use in cucumber salsas or cucumber salad like Apple / Cucumber Salad with Yogurt. See below.

Apple / Cucumber Salad with yogurt
Add diced apple with some diced cucumber. Add yogurt and stir to coat diced apple and cucumber.



DIY Quick Pickles
(Thanks to: Quick Pickled Cucumbers | Easy Refrigerator Pickles Recipe)


Ingredients:

Cucumber
A jar with a lid
Water
Vinegar
1-3 TBspns of sugar
2-3 Tspns of rock salt or salt


Process:

Wash cucumber.
Cut cucumber in half vertically in the middle.
Cut each half into strips.
Cut away seeds.
Add cucumber strips to jar.
Add water to jar until about 1/2 half to 2/3rds full.
Add spices.
Add vinegar.
Affix lid.
Shake jar to mix spices and liquids.
Store in frig.