Storage and preparation on Cucumber:
Like any other types of greens, cucumbers
should not be washed until just before they will be used. They can be
stored, wrapped tightly in a plastic bag or plastic wrap, in the
vegetable compartment of the refrigerator, up to several days. Once the
cucumber has been cut, the remainder should be tightly wrapped in
plastic wrap and used as soon as possible. Cut cucumber quickly become
soft and slimy. Cucumbers should never be frozen; they turn to mush
when defrosted.
All cucumbers should be thoroughly washed before using, English
cucumbers and the smaller Kirby variety do not need to be peeled but
can be scored with the tines of a fork or peeled in alternating strips
for an attractive appearance. Waxed cucumbers should be peeled.
Older varieties of cucumbers were often a little bitter and many fast
healthy recipes call for salting the cut pieces and allowing them to
drain. Bitterness is not generally a problem now, but the great amount
of moisture in cucumbers sometimes makes them weep after they have been
cut. Salting can keep creamy dressings from becoming too thin and
diluted. Be sure, however, to rinse the cucumbers thoroughly after they
have drained for 30 minutes or so, so that the final preparation is not
overly salty and unpleasant. The green cucumber is now ready to be
cooked for low carb and healthy recipes.
Tip:
Seeding cucumbers is a quick, easy job. Peel (or not, depending on the
use and variety you are using) the cucumber and halve it lengthwise
with a sharp knife. Run the tip of a sharp teaspoon down the center of
the cucumber half. The seeds should come right out; leaving a hollow
shell that can be cut into lengths, sticks, matchsticks strips, or
slices of any thickness.
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