I was completely inspired to make cucumber sandwiches from this blog post on {frolic!}. With cool circles of cucumbers nestled in between slices of savory bread, it was the perfect tea party nibble.
I used rosemary olive oil loaves I picked up at my local Costco. This deeply aromatic bread has a yummy soft center and crunchy outer crust. Also from Costco (I heart this super store), was where I picked up a package of crunchy English cucumbers.
In the English variety, there are less seeds (practically non-existent) than the normal cucumber. So, no de-seeding here. Since they are wrapped individually in plastic, I think these cucumbers stay fresher too. The plastic may help reduce water loss and there is no waxy coating to peel off. Yay! Even more prep time saved.
I used a mandolin to cut the cucumbers fine, but if you don’t have one, just slice them thin. The tangy spread gets it’s creaminess from the combination of goat cheese and Neufchâtel, blended with thyme and parsley.
adapted from Ina Garten
serves 8
8 oz. Neufchâtel (or low-fat cream cheese), room temperature
10 oz. goat cheese, room temperature
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
3 tablespoons minced fresh flat leaf parsley
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper3-4 tablespoons milk
1 english cucumber
1 loaf rosemary olive oil bread, thinly sliced
To make spread:
In a bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, place the Neufchâtel, goat cheese, thyme, parsley, salt and pepper. Beat on medium speed, add in milk to thin out to desired consistency. I like the spread to be a little thicker, so I use only a few tablespoons of milk. Set aside.
With a mandolin or sharp knife, slice the unpeeled cucumbers into thin rounds.
Spread the goat cheese/Neufchâtel mixture on each slice of bread. Place cucumbers on one slice and top with another piece of bread, pressing slightly. Cut each sandwich in half and serve.
