Cucumber

Appears in
Professional Cooking

By Wayne Gisslen

Published 2014

  • About
  • Identification: A member of the gourd family, like squash, the cucumber has a thin green skin and a crisp, mild, juicy off-white flesh.
  • Related Varieties: Cucumbers are of two types, slicing and pickling. The common green slicing cucumber, with dark green skin, is most often used in food service. The long, slender hothouse cucumber, also called seedless and burpless, is another common slicing cucumber. Pickling cucumbers, also called Kirbys, range in size from tiny gherkins to the large ones used to make dill pickles. They are somewhat drier and a little more flavorful than the slicing types. Their green skin is a little lighter in color than that of slicing cucumbers, and the surface is bumpy.
  • Evaluation: Look for vegetables that are firm, crisp, dark green, well shaped. Yellow color means the cucumber is overmature.
  • Preparation: Wash. Trim ends. Peel if skin is tough or has been waxed. Skin may be scored to make decorative slices (see Figure 10.9).
  • Percentage Yield: 75–95%, depending on peeling