Cucumber Sandwiches
This recipe details the preparation of classic, elegant cucumber sandwiches. Thinly sliced cucumber is salted to remove excess moisture, layered with softened butter or cream cheese and optional herbs on delicate white bread, and finished by trimming the crusts for a refined snack or tea accompaniment.
Equipment
- 1 Sharp Knife For slicing cucumber and trimming crusts
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Small Bowl For salting cucumber
- 1 Butter Spreader or Offset Spatula For spreading butter/cream cheese
Ingredients
Main
- 1/2 English cucumber peeled and thinly sliced
- 1/8 teaspoon salt plus more as needed
- 8 slices white bread such as Pepperidge Farm Very Thin White
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter or cream cheese softened at room temperature
- 1/8 teaspoon ground white or black pepper
- Optional: watercress mint leaves, lemon zest, dill, chives, or parsley
Instructions
- Peel and thinly slice the English cucumber.
- Place cucumber slices in a small bowl, sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon of salt, and let sit for 15-20 minutes to draw out moisture.
- While cucumber salts, allow butter or cream cheese to soften completely at room temperature.
- Pat cucumber slices thoroughly dry using paper towels.
- Generously spread softened butter or cream cheese evenly over one side of each slice of bread, covering edge to edge.
- Arrange a single layer of dried cucumber slices over half of the bread slices (spread side up), slightly overlapping.
- Sprinkle cucumber with white or black pepper and any desired optional fresh herbs (watercress, mint, dill, chives, parsley).
- Top with the remaining bread slices, spread side down, to form sandwiches.
- Using a sharp knife, carefully trim the crusts from all four sides of each sandwich.
- Cut each sandwich into halves (rectangles or triangles) or thirds ('fingers') and serve immediately or cover with a damp cloth to prevent drying if serving soon.
Notes
Ensure butter or cream cheese is truly room temperature for easy spreading without tearing the delicate bread. Salting and draining the cucumber is crucial to prevent soggy sandwiches; pat slices thoroughly dry. Using high-quality, thinly sliced white bread is traditional. For a more elegant presentation, slice the sandwiches into triangles or 'fingers' after trimming the crusts. Experiment with fresh herbs like dill or mint to elevate the flavor profile.