Cucumber Sandwiches

Cucumber sandwiches are a must-have at afternoon tea. If you’re not a fan of them, then consider adding ribbons of cucumber to your salmon or smoked trout sandwiches as a nod to necessity – but cucumbers need to be fit in somewhere! That said, the traditional “cucumber sand” is easy to make and, done right, refreshing to eat.

Start with good-quality white bread. Spread each slice thinly with a spreadable herbed cheese or whipped cream cheese, and sprinkle with a few fresh herbs (chopped watercress, mint or even flat-leaf parsley). Then neatly slice the crusts off the bread and cut each slice into three rectangles (or “fingers”). Then top each bread rectangle with 3-4 staggered circles of thinly sliced cucumber. Grate some lemon peel over the cucumber slices, and your cuccumber sands are ready to plate. Once plated, cover them with a very slightly dampened paper towel and cello wrap, and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve.

6 slices good-quality white bread
1 container Garlic and Herbes Boursin Gourmet Spreadable cheese
1 c. chopped watercress
½ cucumber, sliced very thinly into circles
grated lemon peel of 1 lemon

Spread each bread slice on one side with Boursin cheese. Trim crusts off each bread slice. Top each bread slice with chopped watercress, then sliced cucumbers (slightly overlapping cucumber slices). Sprinkle grated lemon peel over cucumbers. Place bread slices on serving dish, cover with slightly dampened paper towel, and seal with saran wrap; place in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Cucumber Tea Sandwiches

Delicate, refreshing cucumber sandwiches – essential for afternoon tea

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Course Afternoon Tea, Finger sandwiches, Lunch

Cuisine British

Servings 18

Ingredients

  

• 6 slices good-quality white bread Pepperidge Farm, if available
• 1 5.2 oz Garlic and Herbes Boursin spreadeable cheese (or whipped cream cheese)
• 1 c. watercress, chopped (or fresh mint, or flat-leaf parsley)
• ½ cucumber, very thinly sliced into circles
• 1 lemon, grated peel only

Instructions

 

• Spread each bread slice on one side with Boursin/whipped cream cheese
• Trim crusts off each bread slice.
• Cut each bread slice into 3 rectangles.
• Top each rectangle with chopped watercress/mint/flat-leaf parsley, then sliced cucumbers (slightly overlapping cucumber slices).
• Sprinkle grated lemon peel over cucumbers.
• Place bread slices on serving dish, cover with slightly dampened paper towel, and seal with plastic wrap.
• Place in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Notes

Another more bite-sized option is to cut each bread slice (already spread with Boursin cheese or whipped cream cheese) into 1½” circles with a biscuit-cutter; then sprinkle with chopped watercress (or mint or flat-leaf parsley), and 1 round slice of cucumber.  Depending on bread size, this size makes 18-24 finger sandwiches, enough for 4-8 people, depending on appetites!

An alternative to Boursin cheese is whipped cream cheese.  And if watercress is unavailable, fresh mint does well.  The grated lemon peel is always refreshing, regardless of spread or herb.