Cucumbers As Cardoons

Quarter some cucumbers lengthwise, scrape out the seeds and slit the outsides so that they may resemble cardoons. Blanch them in boiling water, stew in strong broth with two or three tablespoonfuls of Spanish sauce and boil over a sharp fire. Should the broth taste bitter, put in a little piece of sugar. Serve hot.

Cucumbers, Bechamel

Take one or two cucumbers; remove the peel and seeds, cut into slices, blanch in hot salted water, drain and plunge them into cold water; take them out and dry. Pour some bechamel sauce into a saucepan on the side of the fire, warm the slices of cucumber in it without letting the sauce boil. Turn the whole out on a dish, and serve.

Cucumbers, French Style

Peel a green cucumber, slice it very thin, put in a basin with half an ounce of salt, and pickle for four hours. Drain well and arrange the slices on a dish with pepper, oil, vinegar and one tablespoonful of chopped herbs, such as parsley, chervil and tarragon put over the slices.

Fried Cucumbers

Select two or three cucumbers; cut into thick slices and remove the seeds; then place them in a deep dish with salted water slightly acidulated with vinegar and let them soak for about an hour. Take them out and dry and drain on a cloth, then fry in boiling lard until a light brown; drain, and they are ready for use. They are generally used for brown stews.

Stewed Cucumbers

Peel some cucumbers, split them lengthwise in four pieces each, scoop out the seeds, and wash; cut into smaller pieces and place in a saucepan of boiling water with a lump of salt, and boil till tender; drain and dry on a cloth. Into a stewpan put two ounces of butter with two tablespoonfuls of flour, stir over the fire until well mixed; then put in the pieces of cucumber, moisten nearly to height with broth, season with salt, pepper and a small quantity of grated nutmeg, and stir the whole over the fire until the liquor has reduced to the required thickness. When ready, take the saucepan off the fire, place it at the side, and stir in the beaten yolks of two eggs and a few drops of vinegar.