Hurricane Irenes Baked Cucumbers Recipes

ROASTED CUCUMBERS AND ONIONS WITH FRESH HERBS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a 9x13-inch baking dish with aluminum foil. Spray the foil with olive oil cooking spray.
• Spread pieces of butter into the baking sheet and lay cucumber spears over the butter. Top with slices of sweet onion and scatter basil, parsley, cilantro, and mint over the top. Spray the vegetables again with olive oil cooking spray.
• Roast cucumber mixture in the preheated oven until cucumber spears begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Turn the cucumbers and onion slices over and return to oven; roast until cucumbers are tender, 15 to 20 more minutes.

HURRICANE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Melt and spread 1/2 cup margarine in the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Sprinkle coconut and pecans evenly over the bottom of pan; set aside.
• Prepare cake mix as directed on package. Pour batter over coconut and pecans in pan. In a saucepan over low heat, melt cream cheese and 1/2 cup margarine. Stir in confectioners' sugar until mixture is smooth. Spoon cream cheese mixture randomly over top of cake batter.
• Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool and serve from the pan.

JULIA CHILD'S BAKED CUCUMBERS WITH ALL VARIATIONS

Steps:

• Peel the cucumbers.
• Cut in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon.
• Cut into lengthwise strips about 3/8 inch wide.
• Cut strips into 2 inch pieces.
• Toss the cucumber in a bowl with the vinegar, salt and sugar.
• Let stand for 30 minutes to several hours.
• Drain and pat dry in a towel.
• Preheat oven to 375.
• Toss the cucumbers in a baking dish with the butter, herbs, scallions and pepper.
• Set uncovered in the middle level of the preheated oven for about an hour, tossing 2-3 times, until cucumbers are tender, but still have a suggestion of crispiness and texture. They will barely color during cooking.
• Variation One: Parslied Cucumbers.
• In a warm vegetable dish toss with 2 Tbsp minced parsley.
• Variation Two: Creamed Cucumbers.
• Boil 1 cup whipping cream until it has reduced by half. Season with salt and pepper, fold into the hot baked cucumbers, sprinkle with parsley and serve.

BAKED CUCUMBERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place a layer of half of the cucumbers in the bottom of a baking dish. Dot the cucumbers with half of the butter, half of the crushed dill, half of the black pepper, and half of the salt. Repeat the layer. Add just enough water to just cover the cucumbers. Place the baking dish in the oven and bake uncovered at 400 degrees F for one hour. Remove from the oven. Serve with a slotted spoon.

HURRICANES BY THE PITCHER

Steps:

• Use a vegetable peeler to remove 2 long strips of lemon peel, being careful not to take any of the white pith, which can be bitter. Juice the lemons; you should have 1 1/4 cups of juice.
• Put the lemon peel, sugar, 1 cup of the lemon juice and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool. Discard the lemon peel.
• Put the orange and lime slices in a large pitcher (or a clean stock pot if you are making an extra-large batch for family and friends). Using a wooden spoon or muddler, lightly bruise the citrus to release some of the juices and essential oils from the skins.
• Stir in the orange juice, coconut water, dark and light rum, grenadine, pineapple juice, the remaining 1/4 cup lemon juice and 1 cup of the lemon syrup. (The remaining syrup can be refrigerated in a covered container for up to 1 week.)
• Thread an orange slice, a lime slice and a maraschino cherry onto each of 8 small skewers. Fill 8 glasses with ice. Pour the hurricanes over the ice and rest a fruit skewer on each glass. Serve with tall bendy straws.

HURRICANE IRENE'S BAKED CUCUMBERS

Steps:

• Wash unpeeled cucumbers well; cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out as much pulp as possible, into a bowl, without breaking the skin.
• Brown onion in butter; add other ingredients mixed with cucumber pulp. Stirring constantly, cook 5 minutes, until well blended. Place filling in cucumber shells. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for approximately 25 minutes, until shells are soft and mixture is brown on top.