Cucumber Sandwich is a classic finger food that can be enjoyed as a light snack, afternoon tea or at any other time you feel like enjoying a delicious and refreshing cucumber treat. This simple recipe combines cucumbers and cream cheese to create a cool, crisp and beyond flavorful appetizer. You can also add a variety of herbs to your cream cheese spread for even more zesty and fresh flavors.
These sandwiches are easy to assemble and are great for kids to help make for their own tea parties or for a school project. It is best to prepare these just a few hours before you plan on serving them, since cucumbers tend to absorb a lot of moisture and may cause the bread to become soggy. However, if you do want to assemble them in advance, just be sure to salt and drain the cucumbers thoroughly before layering them onto your bread slices. This will help to keep the sandwiches from becoming soggy when refrigerated.
The cucumbers used in this recipe should be seedless, and it is preferable to use English cucumbers as they have thinner skins and are more palatable than regular garden cucumbers (which must be peeled). You can also use radishes or any other type of small, thinly sliced vegetable that you enjoy. If you choose to peel the cucumbers, be sure to remove all of the skin from each slice and cut them into paper-thin slices using a mandoline slicer or a knife. To prevent the slices from becoming too watery, place them in a colander and sprinkle them with a generous amount of salt. Allow the cucumbers to sit for a few minutes while the salt draws out some of the excess moisture. Then, blot the slices with paper towels to remove any additional liquid before using them on your sandwiches.
To make these cucumber sandwiches, start by preparing the cream cheese spread. You will need one 8 oz. block of room temperature plain cream cheese, full fat or low-fat works fine. You can also use mayonnaise instead of cream cheese, but the texture will be a little bit different and the flavor will be slightly less creamy. Next, add one tsp of dried dill, 1/4 tsp of garlic powder and some freshly cracked pepper to the cream cheese mixture.
To assemble the sandwiches, simply place a thin layer of sliced cucumbers on one slice of the bread, then spread a nice thick layer of the cream cheese mixture over the top. Finally, top with the other slice of bread, and press down gently to seal the sandwich. You can serve these cucumber sandwiches immediately, or you can wrap the whole stack in plastic and refrigerate it until ready to serve.
These delicious cucumber sandwiches are the perfect appetizer for a tea party, Mother’s Day brunch, bridal shower or baby shower. They are so light, fresh and refreshing that they can be enjoyed on their own or served alongside other appetizers and fresh party bites, like a colorful crudites platter, prosciutto melone, or Greek salad skewers. Gurkensandwich
