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When cucumbers are to be cooked, they like to be blanched in boiling water for a few minutes or salted and allowed to drain to remove excess moisture. CUCUMBER AND DILL DRESSING -- Blend Dijon mustard, white wine vinegar or lemon juice, sour cream, plain yogurt and fresh dill until smooth, then add diced cucumbers and blend. CUCUMBER AND SHRIMP -- Stir fry peeled cubed cucumbers in oil with minced ginger until just tender. . Set aside. Stir fry raw peeled shrimp in oil with minced green onions, garlic and ginger. When shrimp are done add a sauce of chicken broth, soy sauce, cornstarch, a little sugar and sherry . When the sauce has thickened, add the cucumbers and serve over rice. CUCUMBER APPETIZERS -- Scoop out some of insides of thick cucumber slices with melon baller, leaving enough bottom and sides to hold fillings: salmon or tuna tartar, smoked salmon and cream cheese, egg salad, Feta cheese topped with olive slice and oregano, ricotta cheese with roasted red pepper garnish, cottage cheese with dill or chives, etc. CUCUMBER CURRY -- Peel, seed and cube cucumbers, blanch in salted water and drain before combining with heavy cream and curry powder. Simmer for 10 minutes. CUCUMBER NUKE -- Slice cucumbers lengthwise into several wedges, dot with butter and herbs of choice and microwave, covered, until just tender. Ingredients CUCUMBER SALADS -- Mix cucumber slices, crab meat (or tuna), onions and curry powder with plain yogurt. -- Combine diced cucumbers, shrimp, avocado slices, lime juice and olive oil. - - Toss cucumber slices, chicken and sweet red peppers in Dijon mustard, olive oil and lemon juice. -- Add chopped cucumber, chopped tomato and fresh minced parsley to cooked rice and toss with vinaigrette dressing. Season with paprika. -- Mix parboiled chopped green and red peppers, slices of cucumber, finely chopped onion and chopped fresh parsley and toss with dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, paprika, basil, marjoram, and oregano. Chill then serve on romaine leaves and garnish with hard-boiled eggs. -- Mix cucumber slices, blanched snow peas, sundried tomato pieces and grated Parmesan. -- Toss cucumber slices, blueberries, red onion slices and watercress with rice vinegar or a berry vinegar. - - Marinate sliced cucumbers in white vinegar, sugar, salt and black pepper for several hours in refrigerator. Sprinkle with chopped roasted peanuts before serving. CUCUMBER SAUCE -- Cook chopped cucumbers in chicken or vegetable stock until tender, then puree until smooth and stir in mayonnaise or yogurt and dill. Serve with chicken, fish, pork or vegetables or thin and use as salad dressing. CUCUMBER SAUCE FOR MEAT, FISH -- Add a little lemon juice and paprika to sour cream, then add peeled, seeded chopped cucumbers and slivered almonds. Optional-- a little dill. CUCUMBER SOUP I -- Briefly sauté peeled, seeded and sliced cucumber in butter, add chopped scallions, chicken stock and nutmeg. Simmer for a few minutes and serve topped with yogurt and chopped mint. CUCUMBER SOUP II -- Cook leeks and celery until soft, then add peeled, seeded chopped cucumbers, lemon juice and chicken stock and simmer until cukes are tender. Puree in blender and top with mixture of chopped tomato, Parmesan, basil, garlic and bit of oil. Or add yogurt or buttermilk, diced cucumbers, parsley, chives and seasonings to chilled cucumber puree and serve cold. Cucumber Spread --combine cream cheese, buttermilk, grated onion and Worcestershire and then add chopped cucumber. Chill. CUCUMBER STUFFING -- Cook chopped, seeded cucumber, shredded carrot, chopped onion and lemon pepper in butter, add broth and minced parsley. Mix with bread cubes. Good baked with any fish, stuffed whole or placed under fillets. CUCUMBERS AND CHICKEN -- Poach boneless chicken breasts with scallions, ginger root and peppercorns until tender. Lay slices of chicken on top of peel cucumbers halves that have been seeded and crushed slightly. Top with a sauce of rice vinegar, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, and honey with a scant amount of sesame oil. CUCUMBERS AND FISH -- Marinate diced cucumbers in lemon juice and chopped fresh dill for at least half an hour in refrigerator. Use sauce as topping for any poached fish CUCUMBERS AND MUSHROOMS -- Add sautéed mushrooms to sautéed cucumbers and then add cream. CUCUMBERS AND PEACHES -- Combine pieces of peeled peaches and diced cucumber and stir in olive oil, lemon juice, some Angostura bitters and fresh mint. Season and chill. This salsa goes well with chicken and beef dishes. CUCUMBERS AND RICE -- Stir pieces of cucumber into cooked rice along with a spoonful of rice vinegar, minced scallions and toasted sesame seeds. Sprinkle with sesame oil. CUCUMBERS AND SNOW PEAS -- Stir fry blanched cucumber pieces with snow peas in butter, then sprinkle with chopped herbs. CUCUMBERS AND YOGURT -- Blanch or salt and drain peeled, split and seeded cucumbers. Sauté until crisp and stir in yogurt. Heat but don't boil. FRIED CUCUMBERS -- Coat unpeeled slices with flour, dried bread crumbs, cornmeal or cracker crumbs, season and fry in bacon fat or other oil, browning both sides. FRIED CUCUMBERS-- Flour, egg and bread sliced cucumbers and fry as with eggplant etc. LEBANESE CUCUMBER SOUP -- Peel cucumbers if skins are tough, grate coarsely. Stir in cream and yogurt, crushed garlic, tarragon vinegar, chopped mint. Chill and garnish with mint or gherkins or small cooked shrimp. MARINATED CUCUMBERS -- Marinate sliced cucumbers, tomatoes and sliced onions in a mixture of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, laced with lots of black pepper. Serve as is, or tossed in with lettuce to make a complete salad. PEAS AND CUCUMBERS -- Mix freshly shelled peas, raw or parboiled, and peeled, diced cucumbers with sour cream, dill, salt and pepper. The mixture can be served cold or heated slowly until vegetables are warm. POACHED OR STEAMED CUCUMBERS -- Peel, split, seed and slice cucumbers then poach them briefly in boiling salted water , or steam until just translucent. Drain and toss in melted butter. SAUTÉED CUCUMBERS -- Peel cucumbers and halve length wise; scoop out the seeds, salt and drain. Slice and add to sautéed diced shallot or green onion. Cook just enough to warm then add a we bit of chicken stock cook a few minutes more. Toss with fresh chopped herbs. Alternatively, skip the herbs and stock and use heavy cream, Garnish with herbs at service. TOMATOES AND CUCUMBERS WITH YOGURT -- Combine diced tomato, cucumber, scallion, fresh mint, and plain yogurt. Chill and serve with fruits or vegetables or spicy dishes