Cucumber Sandwiches with Goat Cheese Tapenade
These tangy little “sandwiches” use cucumber slices as their bread. They’re an elegant little canape for a party, or great for a low-carb lunch. Why not serve some at your 4th of July picnic? This recipe uses chevre, a goat cheese with the consistency of cream cheese- try some from Byler’s Goat Dairy, at the North Atherton Farmers Market. It’s also delicious spread on a piece of toast!
Ingredients:
3 small, thick cucumbers (or 2 medium size)
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
6 kalamata black olives
1 tablespoon chopped onion
2 ounces plain fresh chevre, or about 1/4 cup
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Cut the ends of the cucumbers off and discard them. Peel the cucumbers if desired- the skins are nutritious but some people find them unpleasant. A pretty compromise can be to peel the cucumbers in stripes, so that the slices have striped edges. Slice the cucumbers into rounds about 1/8th of an inch thick. Place them between two layers of paper towels, patting them gently to dry them, and let them rest while the filling is prepared.
In a food processor, blend the basil, olive oil, olives, and onion into a chunky paste. Add the chevre and pepper, and blend together. Taste, and then add the salt and blend- you may want to add more or less salt depending on the saltiness of the olives used. Just remember that the mixture should be fairly salty, to contrast with the mildness of the cucumber.
Pipe or spread the mixture onto the cucumber slices, put them together in a sandwich, and serve. These are best served within an hour or two of making them- after that, they become too watery as the salt in the filling draws the moisture out of the cucumbers.
Ingredients:
3 small, thick cucumbers (or 2 medium size)
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
6 kalamata black olives
1 tablespoon chopped onion
2 ounces plain fresh chevre, or about 1/4 cup
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Cut the ends of the cucumbers off and discard them. Peel the cucumbers if desired- the skins are nutritious but some people find them unpleasant. A pretty compromise can be to peel the cucumbers in stripes, so that the slices have striped edges. Slice the cucumbers into rounds about 1/8th of an inch thick. Place them between two layers of paper towels, patting them gently to dry them, and let them rest while the filling is prepared.
In a food processor, blend the basil, olive oil, olives, and onion into a chunky paste. Add the chevre and pepper, and blend together. Taste, and then add the salt and blend- you may want to add more or less salt depending on the saltiness of the olives used. Just remember that the mixture should be fairly salty, to contrast with the mildness of the cucumber.
Pipe or spread the mixture onto the cucumber slices, put them together in a sandwich, and serve. These are best served within an hour or two of making them- after that, they become too watery as the salt in the filling draws the moisture out of the cucumbers.
