Vegetables Recipes - Stuffed Cucumber Boats

Ingredients

• 3 large cucumbers

• 175 g/6 oz/3/4 cup long-grain rice

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 100 g/4 oz/1/2 cup butter

• 225 g/8 oz/4 cups button mushrooms, thinly sliced

• 4 slices Westphalian ham, chopped

• 6 stoned (pitted) black olives, chopped

• 2.5 ml/1/2 tsp dried oregano

• 2 eggs, beaten

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 15 ml/1 tbsp chopped parsley

• Grated Fontina or Cheddar cheese

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Method:

1. Cut the cucumbers in halves crossways then each half in half lengthways. Scoop out the seeds and discard.

2. Boil the cucumber 'boats' in salted water for 10 minutes. Drain and keep warm.

3. Meanwhile, cook the rice in plenty of boiling salted water for 10 minutes or until tender. Drain, rinse with boiling water and drain again.

4. Fry (sauté) the onion in half the butter for 2 minutes until softened but not browned. Add the mushrooms, ham and olives and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.

5. Stir in the rice, the oregano and half the remaining butter. Heat through.

6. Heat the remaining butter in a large frying pan (skillet) and make an omelets with the eggs, seasoned lightly with salt and pepper.

7. Chop up and add to the rice. Spoon the rice mixture into the boats then arrange them in a starburst pattern on a large serving plate.

8. Pile any remaining mixture into the centre. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve straight away with the grated cheese handed separately.