'Bread and butter' cucumber sandwiches

Name: Bread and butter cucumber sandwiches recipe
Yield: 18
Ingredients: 3 (400g) Lebanese cucumbers, trimmed, thinly sliced; 1 small onion, thinly sliced; 1 tbs sea salt flakes; 1 cup (250ml) white vinegar; 1/3 cup (75g) caster sugar; 1/4 tsp dried chilli flakes; 1/4 tsp ground turmeric; 1/2 tsp roughly crushed black peppercorns; 1 tsp fennel seeds; Softened salted butter, to spread; 12 slices white bread; 2 tbs chopped dill; Black sea salt flakes (from gourmet food shops – substitute regular sea salt flakes), to serve

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by Kirsten Jenkins

Dec 04, 2020

When one thinks of smart, sophisticated party food, cucumber sandwiches are at the top of the list.

3 (400g) Lebanese cucumbers, trimmed, thinly sliced
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 tbs sea salt flakes
1 cup (250ml) white vinegar
1/3 cup (75g) caster sugar
1/4 tsp dried chilli flakes
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp roughly crushed black peppercorns
1 tsp fennel seeds
Softened salted butter, to spread
12 slices white bread
2 tbs chopped dill
Black sea salt flakes (from gourmet food shops – substitute regular sea salt flakes), to serve

Method

1.

Place the cucumber, onion and salt in a bowl and mix well. Transfer to a colander over the sink and allow to drain for 2 hours.
2.

Place the vinegar, sugar, chilli flakes, turmeric, peppercorn and fennel seeds in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Squeeze the excess liquid from the cucumber and onions, add to the vinegar mixture and set aside to cool completely.
3.

Drain excess liquid from the cucumber mixture and place on paper towel to drain further. Spread butter over bread and lay the pickle over half of the buttered bread. Scatter with the dill, top with remaining bread to sandwich. Remove the crusts and slice each sandwich into 3 fingers and sprinkle with the salt to serve.