EQUIPMENT: paring knife, French chef knife, measuring spoons, mixing bowl, and whisk.
PREPARATION TIME: About 30 minutes – makes 6 servings.
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 large cucumbers
- 1 8oz package cream cheese, softened.
- 3 tablespoons finely minced onion
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- Pinch salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup finely chopped parsley.
- Lettuce leaves (optional)
- ¼ cup lightly toasted pine nuts
- 2 slices Prosciutto ham, trimmed and cut into ½-inch strips
Trim the ends off the cucumbers, and peel the skin off ½-inch segment around the cucumber. Cut the cucumbers into 1½-inch lengths. Remove the seeds from the center of the sections about 2/3 the way down, leaving the bottom intact. Turn the cucumber shells upside down to drain.
In the mixing bowl, whip the cream cheese until it is fluffy. Add the onion, paprika and salt and pepper to taste. Form the mixture into small balls to fill the cucumber shells. Roll the balls in the chopped parsley and put one in each cucumber ball. Cover and chill in the refrigerator, about 20 minutes.
TO SERVE: Serve very cold. Line 6 small serving plates with lettuce leaves (optional), place 1 cucumber on each plate. Top with pine nuts and a prosciutto curl.