Baked Cucumbers...aka Concombres au Beurre

Who ever heard of baked cucumbers? Certainly not  me...until Julie & Julia became my favorite movie and I watched it six times in one month. Julie & Julia is a true story, based on the book, which was based on a blog by Julie Powell as she chronicled the year she spent cooking her way through Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking." The movie combines the stories of both Julie Powell and Julia Child lives and is wonderful, inspiring and it makes me want to cook.

Which leads me back to Concombres au Beurre...a fancy French name for baked cucumbers. I know what you're thinking. "Eww...baked cucumbers." When I entertained the thought of making them, I withheld my "ewws" until I and my wonderful, guinea pig boyfriend could try them.

What I found out was that when cucumbers are baked they do not turn mushy and slimy, as I thought they would. They do not develop a sour flavor during the cooking process (did I think they would pickle themselves while baking?), like I thought they would. In fact, baked cucumbers are "a revelation" just like Julie Powell says in the movie. I thought I would make them once, say "ehh, they were okay" and let it go at that. But I will make them again and my boyfriend who, bless his heart, is willing to try everything I make, also gave them a thumbs-up.

This simple recipe calls for ingredients you most likely have around the house, so be brave and try it! Or, as Julia Child would say, "Have the courage of your convictions." The blend of cucumbers, vinegar, butter and seasonings turns out delicious and this side dish will work well with any type of fish, meat or poultry.

Concombres au Beurre (Baked Cucumbers)



Ingredients:

3 whole cucumbers, peeled (each about 8 inches long)
1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
3/4 tsp. salt
Pinch of sugar
1 1/2 tbsp. melted butter
1/2 tsp. dried basil
2 tbsp. chopped chives
Pinch of black pepper

Directions:

1. Cut the peeled cucumbers in half, lengthwise, and scrape a spoon over each half to remove the seeds.

Peeled with seeds scooped out.

2. Cut each cucumber half into strips 1/2-inch wide and 2-inches long.

3. Place the cucumbers in a bowl. Add 1 tbsp. white wine vinegar, 3/4 tsp. salt and a pinch of sugar. Stir the ingredients together with a wooden spoon until the salt and vinegar mixture has coated all the cucumbers. Let the cucumber mixture sit for a minimum of 30 minutes and a maximum of overnight. The vinegar and salt bath draws excess moisture out of the cucumbers without compromising flavor and texture.



Marinating in the vinegar and salt bath.

 4. Drain the cucumbers then lay them in a single layer between two clean kitchen towels and pat dry.

5. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the cucumbers in a 13-inch by 9-inch baking pan. Add 1 1/2 tbsp. melted butter, 1/2 tsp. dried basil, 2 tbsp. chopped chives and a pinch of black pepper. Toss the ingredients with a spoon until the seasonings and butter are evenly distributed over the cucumbers.



The "Before" Picture

 6. Bake the cucumbers in the oven for one hour, stirring them every 20 minutes, then spreading them back into a single layer.



Baked and ready to serve.



Julia Child...the French Chef

 Baked cucumbers are fresh and light, a definite no-guilt side dish, and the fragrance that wafts out of the kitchen as they bake is a delicious blend of cucumbers, butter and herbs. Julia Child hit the nail on the head, as far as Concombres au Beurre goes, when she said "Bon Appetit!"

Cooking Tip: I didn't have white wine vinegar and didn't feel like walking to the store to buy any. Instead, I substituted 2 tsp. white vinegar and 2 tsp. white wine. It tasted really good.

Because of the mild flavor of cucumbers, you can afford to err on the high side when it comes to adding seasonings. A little more than what is called for wouldn't hurt and I might try a little dill mixed in there the next time.

Give these a try and let me know what you think in the "comments" section.

Dutch Apple Pie- Yes, You CAN Bake a Homemade Pie!

“Good apple pies are a considerable part of our domestic happiness." ~Jane Austen

I know what you're thinking: "I can't make a pie crust!"

To which I respond: "Then this is the recipe for you!"

Before you shake your head in disbelief and hit the "Back" button, let me just say that if you've ever played with playdough you can make this pie. If previous attempts have found you sweating into the pie crust as you attempt to roll it out then carefully lifting the crust into the pie tin only to have it fall into shreds, worry no more. This Dutch Apple Pie recipe asks you to do nothing more than smush the bottom crust into the pan and half crumble/half spread the top crust on.

Recipes for Dutch Apple Pie date back to 17th century Netherlands. The lack of a full pie crust on the top and additions of cinnamon, lemon juice or raisins are what distinguish a Dutch Apple Pie from the other variations.

This recipe took me 30 minutes to prepare; twenty of those minutes were spent on the apples. While you could save time and use canned pie filling you'll sacrifice taste. It's up to you but, in the grand scheme of things, what's 20 minutes? Your taste buds will thank you.

In days gone by I've substituted margarine for butter. Use margarine if you need to but once you taste the difference when you use butter you'll never substitute with margarine again. Buy the cheapest butter; brand doesn't matter here. And always use unsalted butter for baked goods, salted butter for cooking. That being said, it's time for the recipe:

Dutch Apple Pie

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, melted

1 cup white sugar

1 egg

2 1/2 cups flour

8 large tart apples - peeled, cored and sliced about 1/4" thick

Ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. In a mixing bowl, combine butter, sugar, egg and flour. Stir with a spoon for a few moments until mixture hangs together a bit. Use flour-covered hands to form dough. If the dough seems super-sticky, mix in another 1/4 to 1/2 cup flour. Press a little more than half the dough on the bottom and sides of 9-inch pie dish, square baking pan, or cast iron skillet.

3. Fill the pie shell with apples and dust them with cinnamon. (I was generous with the cinnamon and could have added more.) Crumble the rest of the dough over the top of the apples until they are more or less covered. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes.

Baking Tip: Give your pie crust a golden brown shine. Beat one egg yolk and 1 tsp. water then brush the mixture onto the top pie crust before baking.



This Dutch Apple Pie may not win a beauty contest but it makes up for it in taste!