Cucumbers with Orange Sauce

Unicorn (unicron@prodigy.net)
Wed, 29 Jul 1998 20:48:28 -0400

Cucumbers are, in my humble opinion, an underrated and often overlooked
vegetable. Every time I eat cooked cucumbers I tell myself I am going to
prepare them more often. Properly prepared, they lose all their bitterness
and become tender, succulent, and subtly delicious. This dish from
Puerto Rico will never make it to the "Top 10 Best Known Dishes of Puerto Rico"
list, but I couldn't resist the opportunity to pass it along. The sauce in
my original recipe is roux based, but I have modified it to eliminate the
fat and make the sauce brighter and more in keeping with modern tastes.

Cucumbers with Orange Sauce

3 medium sized firm cucumbers
1/2 cup (125 ml) orange juice
1 Tbs (15 ml) grated orange zest
1 tsp (5 ml) cornstarch (cornflour)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Peel the cucumbers and slice them in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds
with a small spoon, and slice the cucumbers into 1/2 inch (1 cm) pieces.
Put in a pot with enough water to cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the
heat and simmer for 5 minutes, until tender but firm. Meanwhile, mix the
cornstarch with 2 or 3 tablespoons of the orange juice, and put this
mixture along with the rest of the orange juice and the orange zest in a
saucepan large enough to hold the cooked cucumbers. Heat over moderate
heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and becomes
translucent. Season with the salt and pepper (hint: this sauce can take
quite a bit of pepper and is better if it is slightly spicy). Drain the
cucumbers and add them to the sauce, tossing to coat the cucumbers
thoroughly. Serves 4 to 6.