This isn't much different than pickles, but I usually make sweet pickle relish with my extra slicing cukes. Would you like a recipe? I usually give away several pints for Christmas.

Dill relish?

Ha ha! Yes, relish is just like pickles. I never really eat relish anyway. For that matter, I rarely eat pickles. (Why I have many quarts of them now, I don't know.)

Maybe I can finely shop them and freeze them for things like tsatziki? Cucumber sorbet?

This is what I get for experimenting with cucumber varieties this year... and having them all come out prolific and good! But especially the Double Yield slicing cukes. I hate to compost them when they are so tasty and sweet. And they are just getting started.

Start giving them away. Everyone loves fresh cukes (I hope) Cukes are a favorite as a sandwich too. Spread some bread with mayo, then slice cukes lengthwise to about 1/4 inch thick slices (or thicker), place these on the mayo bread, sprinkle with salt, and add a few springs of fresh dill weed. You now have a dinner, or lunch.. Looks like next year you will plant a few less cuke plants? If you like a specific variety, allow one or two to remain and get really big. This will slow down, and then stop, more cukes from producing. Those big 'watermelon' cukes can be cut open and the seeds removed, then dried to replant the following year.

Cucumber Ketchup
ripe cucumbers
1 red capsicum, chopped
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup chopped onion
4 cups vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cloves
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Peel enough cucumbers to make 2 litres after seeds and soft centres have been removed. Add onion, capsicum, and enough water to prevent sticking. Cook slowly, stirring frequently, until tender. Add remaining ingredients. Cook slowly, stirring frequently, until thick.

Cucumber Marmalade
2 cups finely-chopped cucumbers
4 cups sugar
1/2 cup lime (or lemon) juice
2 tablespoons grated lime (or lemon) peel
1/2 bottle liquid fruit pectin
colouring as desired (eg. beetroot jucie, blueberry juice)

In a large saucepan combine cucumbers, sugar, juice and peel. Mix well, add colouring, boil one minute over high heat, stirring constantly. Remove from stove, stir in pectin. Skim off foam, stir and skim 5 minutes to cool a bit. Ladle quickly into jars and seal.

Sweet and Sour Cucumber Relish
1 cup palm sugar
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup water
5 tablespoons cucumber
2 tablespoons shallots, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon water chestnut, thinly sliced
pinch salt
coriander leaves to garnish

Boil the vinegar, water and sugar to form a thin syrup. Cut the cucumber in four lengthwise, and cut the pieces into segments about 2mm thick. Combine the vegetables in a small bowl, and pour the syrup over them. To serve, pour into a small bowl and garnish with coriander. This is an accompaniment to sate, fish cakes, and similar snacks and starters. It will keep for about 3 weeks in the refrigerator.

Hola, ksrogers,

Yes, this was a year where I wanted to see which one I liked the best. (All of them.) I have already inundated what few people don't have cucumbers of their own with extras, and everyone else is trying to give me theirs! I don't think I can look at another tomato and cucumber sandwich. :D

Daisy - Cuke ketchup and cuke marmalade sounds interesting. I already make my own tomato ketchup (I'm allergic to onions) and have made carrot ketchup for my nephew (who can't eat 'maters), so why not cucumbers?

The cuke marmalade is... interesting. I liked it better before it cooked -- more refreshing. I can't wait to see if it sets; all I had was powdered pectin.

Unfortunately, the cuke marmalade doesn't use anywhere near enough cucumbers!

gee ... you're fast.
for the cucumber sorbet served to the Queen (of England) on her recent visit to Virginia, check out this link: (oh heck, that link expired yesterday and I'd have to pay $4 to download it) I have the clipping and will see if I can scan it, but count on it that my be beyond my cyber expertise.

BUT it only uses 3 large seedless English cukes

Id like the sweet pickle relish recipe! Please??!! :) And the dill one too, if its not too much trouble. :)

Hmmm. I was joking about the cucumber sorbet... I guess the joke's on me!

Can you don't the excess to a senior center or local food bank? Missions, women's shelters, day care, etc. will sometimes take the extra. Try Meals on Wheels too.

Do you like sweet pickles ? Many folks have made the recipe I use for sweet pickle chunks and love them. It is a family favorite here.
You can also dehydrate cucumbers. I liked them when we tried it. They are sort of like dried zucchini slices.
I also love cucumber and dill salad.
CUCUMBERS IN DILL CREAM SAUCE
3 medium cucumbers, sliced thin
1/4 to 1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 to 1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 T. lemon juice
1- 2 tsp. sugar
dried dill , to taste ( I like quite a bit)
salt and pepper to taste
You can scoop out the seeds if you like. I leave them in.
Also, you can add some fresh minced onion, too. I don't care for onion. It only takes 2 T. diced onion.
Combine all the ingredients, chill, and serve. It will get watery if left too long.

alabamanicole -- the joke may be on you, but you're in good company ... the cucumber sorbet was served to the Queen by Patrick O'Connell, chef/owner of the Inn at Little Washington, Virginia, the oldest Mobil five-star award-winning restaurant. If I can't scan the recipe, I'll put it in my data base and send it to you later.

Check out here:

Here is a link that might be useful: cucumber sorbet recipes

I am far enough in the boonies that driving into town to donate cucumbers while they are still fresh is a losing proposition. There always is the compost pile, although it hurts my excessively ordered mind to toss them out.

LOL! I almost just got rid of them ALL. My neighbor just called to say her son was trying to chase some cows out of my garden! Well, they were in the back pasture, not the garden. I had better go check to see if my baby vineyard has any leaves left, not that I can do anything about it now.

On further thought, cucumber sorbet sounds pretty good and not funny at all.

Daisy found it ... the Queen's Sorbet is item number 7 on the link she posted a couple of items up .... I think it sound great ... about the only way I can afford to eat anything from the Inn at Little Washington.

I was smiling at your situation; it is always nicer to have a surprisingly bigger harvest than to really hope/expect one that doesn't measure up;) I don't care for sweet pickles but will do up as many plain sour pickles as I can get my hands on. Rule of thumb in this house is that any lunch or dinner plate will contain cuke and tomato slices. I also like cukes that have sat in some cider vinegar, sugar and fresh onion slices. The cucumbers in dill sauce that Linda Lou posted is devine and I make lots of variations of it depending on the ingredients I have at hand. I've never had a "cold" soup but I'm interested, LOL. Lori

On the other hand, my tomatoes are horrible and I probably won't get any of those. Ah well, next year my problem may reverse!

Don't feel guilty if you can't use all the cucumbers. Otherwise you will grow to dislike them. Just enjoy the abundance.

Cucumber raita is a very refreshing dish to make when you have cucumbers.

Jim

Here is a link that might be useful: Cucumber Raita

Does anyone have further info on the Cucumber Catsup? I would like to try it but want to can it.

Kim

I make greek tzatziki (also known as cucumber yogurt salad, and I think there is an Indian version that is similar)

2 cups Yogurt strained (or buy a stained version, you just don't want it watery)..I use a brand named Fage, but it is harder to find
2 medium Cucumbers chopped
4 cloves Garlic minced
1 tbsp dill chopped
a dash of red wine vinegar (can also use lemon juice)

this can be eaten as an appetizer with pita bread, it can be used as a condiment on chicken or steak, it can also be served alone as a salad.

When I have extra cucumbers, I use 5 or 6 cucumbers chopped large and make a meal of it. As an appetizer, I will use 2 cucumbers and chop them fine to make more of a paste. I find it cool and refreshing and very different from other cucumber dishes