Lemon cukes perfect for pickling

Lemon cucumbers look like lemons, especially when they are cut and quartered.

But don’t let their name fool you.

Even though they resemble wedges of the citrus fruit, they taste like cucumbers.

The golden-skinned globes are a bit seedier than their long, green counterparts. They’re also shaped and sized like an orange – or a baseball – but colored like their namesake. The flavor is mild, delicate, clean and crisp, never sour nor bitter, almost sweet.

Lemon cucumbers are a bit prickly, but those light little bristles easily rub off. There’s no need to peel them, unless you want to. The skin is edible, but it does become a bit thicker and harder as the fruit matures. (Cucumbers, like tomatoes, technically are fruits.)

Lemon cucumbers are best for slicing and pickling or using any way you might use their more recognizable siblings.

Toss them in salads and salsas or use them to make flavored water or agua fresca. Hollow out their insides to make little lemon cucumber cups. Place a few in a bowl on the dining table for a conversation starter or unusual centerpiece. Use them to make refrigerator pickles.

Just be sure to use them quickly. A couple of days after they’re picked, they start to go soft.

Mushroom-Stuffed Lemon Cucumber Cups

From Country Living, June 25, 2007

A savory tomato and mushroom mixture fills these crunchy hollowed-out lemon cucumber halves. If oval lemon cucumbers are unavailable, substitute 1 ¼-inch-thick cucumber slices that have been hollowed out to form a cup.

1/4 cup dried tomato halves

Boiling water

2 ripe fresh plum tomatoes

1/4 pound fresh mushrooms

1 small onion

1 clove garlic

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon light brown sugar

Pinch ground black pepper

4 small lemon cucumbers

1 tablespoon sliced fresh basil leaves

Fresh green leaves from cucumber plant or lettuce leaves

In heatproof cup or bowl, combine dried tomatoes and enough boiling water to cover. Let tomatoes stand 15 minutes or until softened.

Meanwhile, cut fresh tomatoes into halves. Remove and discard seeds. Coarsely chop seeded tomatoes; set aside. Cut mushrooms into ¼-inch pieces. Finely chop onion and garlic. Drain rehydrated tomatoes; pat dry and chop.

In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic; saute until mushrooms are tender. Stir in rehydrated and fresh tomatoes, vinegar, salt, brown sugar and pepper. Cook just until all liquid evaporates and mixture thickens slightly. Remove skillet from heat and let mixture cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, cut lemon cucumbers crosswise into halves. With melon-ball cutter or demitasse spoon, scoop out seeds in center of each cucumber half to form cups. If cucumber cups will not stand up, cut a thin slice from bottom.

Just before serving, stir basil into mushroom mixture and divide among cucumber cups. Line serving plate with green leaves and arrange stuffed cups on top.

Serves: 4

Lemon Cucumber-Dill Salad Recipe

Adapted from Taste of Home

This crisp and tangy salad hits the spot on warm afternoons and evenings. Sprinkling the cucumbers with salt and letting them sit draws out excess water so they stay nice and crisp.

3 lemon cucumbers, thinly sliced

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/4 cup white vinegar

2 tablespoons snipped fresh dill

4 1/2 teaspoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper

Place cucumber slices in a colander over a plate; sprinkle with salt and toss. Let stand for 15 minutes, stirring once. Rinse and drain well.

In a large bowl, combine the vinegar, dill, sugar and pepper. Add cucumbers and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Yield: 3 servings

Daphne’s Easy Lemon Cucumber Refrigerator Pickles

From Daphne’s Dandelions blog at http://daphnes dandelions.blogspot.com/

3/4 cup water

1 cup vinegar (rice vinegar works well)

1 tablespoon salt

3 tablespoons sugar

2 to 3 whole cloves

1/2 teaspoon whole coriander seeds

2 or more sprigs of fresh dill or tarragon

1 small red onion, quartered

2 or more peeled garlic cloves

3 to 4 lemon cucumbers, quartered lengthwise

Combine water and vinegar in a quart jar. Add salt and sugar and stir to dissolve. Add cloves, coriander, dill or tarragon, onion and garlic. Add lemon cucumbers. Cover the jar with a lid and refrigerate for a couple of days to allow the spices to flavor the vegetables.