Kentucky Benedictine Sandwiches Recipes

Steps:

• Process cucumber chunks in a food processor until finely chopped. Put chopped cucumber and white onion in a piece of cheesecloth and twist to squeeze into a bowl as much liquid as possible from the vegetables, reserving the liquid.
• Assure the food processor bowl is dry before returning cucumber and onion mixture to the food processor. Add cream cheese, dill, hot pepper sauce, green food coloring, and cayenne pepper. Process the mixture until smooth, scraping down the sides of the food processor bowl a few times to make sure everything is integrated. If too thick, add reserved liquid a teaspoon at a time.

Steps:

• Grate the unpeeled cucumbers on a box grater. Wrap in a kitchen towel and wring out any excess liquid.
• Combine the cream cheese, sour cream, lemon juice and hot sauce in a food processor and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Add the cucumbers, chives, parsley, dill and scallions and pulse, stopping to scrape down the sides several times, until pale green and almost smooth. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour.
• Spread the Benedictine on the zucchini and squash slices and garnish with reserved dill fronds.

Steps:

• Place grated cucumber in colander and sprinkle with salt. Toss to coat and let stand for 20 minutes. Drain and press out as much moisture as possible. Pat with paper towels to remove any remaining moisture.
• With paddle attachment on stand mixer, beat mayo, cream cheese, onion*, dill & garlic until creamy.
• Add drained cucumber and mix well. Salt to taste if needed.
• Spread mixture on white sandwich bread. Slice off crusts. Cut sandwiches into driangles or diamonds or seal with a sandwich press** if desired (see note below).
• *Walla Walla, Vidalia, or Mayan onions work best - must be sweet onions so they don't overpower the delicate balance of the other ingredients.
• **If using a sandwich press, cut bread first, place filling in, then press to seal (this keeps the edges clean so they will seal better).
• If not serving immediately, refrigerate, covered.

Steps:

• Peel cucumber and slice in half lengthwise. Remove seeds with a small spoon. Place cucumber in a food processor and pulse 5 times, until minced.
• Place minced cucumber in small colander over glass bowl. Sprinkle with salt, toss, and allow to drain over bowl for one hour. Spread drained cucumber on dinner plate and pat with paper towel to remove excess moisture. Place cucumber in small glass bowl.
• Add onion and cream cheese to cucumber and stir well with spatula. Add hot sauce, food coloring. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.
• Cut rounds out of bread slices with cookie or biscuit cutter. Spread small amount of mayonnaise on bread rounds. Spread cucumber mixture on half of rounds and top with another round. Garnish with sprig of parsley or watercress. Store covered in refrigerator. Serve chilled.