Christmas arrives when friends and family start piling through the door, and by the time they have a cool drink in their hands, you’ll probably be serving some tasty morsel or two to set their taste buds firing.
That’s the idea. But when the plan also includes a full-on Christmas feast to follow, any small bite or canape is best to be on the light side. This is where our little Cucumber Cups shine.
Cucumber is up there with iceberg lettuce in being just about entirely water (96%).
But trick it up with some feta, mint and flying fish roe and it can pack a gentle little punch in both flavour and texture.
It’s bound to be the tastiest water anyone will have eaten in a while.
Jan
CUCUMBER CUPS
Makes around 50 bite-sized pieces
120 gm Persian feta
30 gm crème fraiche
8 Lebanese cucumbers, 3-4cm in diameter
1 teaspoon caster sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
½ bunch mint, leaves picked and finely chopped
1 jar tobiko (flying fish roe)
Crush feta with a fork in a small bowl. Add crème fraiche and mix to make a smooth cream. Scoop into a small piping bag or sandwich bag. Seal and refrigerate until ready to use.
Wash and dry cucumbers. Peel strips about 1cm apart down the length of them with a vegetable peeler and remove ends.
Place cucumbers in a container, sprinkle with the sugar, salt and pepper and refrigerate for an hour or two to macerate.
Pat cucumbers dry.
Meanwhile warm olive oil gently and add chopped garlic. Cool to room temperature and allow time to infuse.
Brush cucumbers with a little garlic oil (there will be some left over).
Place chopped mint on a flat plate and roll cucumbers in it to coat.
Cut cucumbers into 2cm slices and with a melon-baller scoop the flesh from the top of each slice.
Stand cucumber cups on a serving plate. Pipe about a teaspoon of feta into each cup and, using two teaspoons, top with a dollop of tobiko.