Julia Child'S Baked Cucumbers With All Variations - cooking recipe

Ingredients

32 inches cucumbers
2 tablespoons wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 teaspoon dill or 1/2 teaspoon basil
4 tablespoons minced scallions
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Preparation

Peel the cucumbers.
Cut in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon.
Cut into lengthwise strips about 3/8 inch wide.
Cut strips into 2 inch pieces.
Toss the cucumber in a bowl with the vinegar, salt and sugar.
Let stand for 30 minutes to several hours.
Drain and pat dry in a towel.
Preheat oven to 375.
Toss the cucumbers in a baking dish with the butter, herbs, scallions and pepper.
Set uncovered in the middle level of the preheated oven for about an hour, tossing 2-3 times, until cucumbers are tender, but still have a suggestion of crispiness and texture. They will barely color during cooking.
Variation One: Parslied Cucumbers.
In a warm vegetable dish toss with 2 Tbsp minced parsley.
Variation Two: Creamed Cucumbers.
Boil 1 cup whipping cream until it has reduced by half. Season with salt and pepper, fold into the hot baked cucumbers, sprinkle with parsley and serve.