These Cucumber Tuna bites make an elegant low carb, low calorie addition to any buffet table or appetizer selection. These would be great for picnics too!
If you are trying to avoid bread or starches these are just the ticket. They might just qualify as a vegetable serving!
Use English Cucumbers because the skins are not as bitter as field grown and the seed core is smaller, leaving more flesh for your cucumber cup.
I clean the cucumber and score the skin with [easyazon_link identifier="B00004OCJO" locale="CA" tag="thewinlovskit-20"] zester like this one[/easyazon_link]. Then I cut the cucumber into about 1 ½" chunks. The number of pieces you will get will depend on the size of your cucumber.
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Next with a teaspoon measuring spoon, carefully hollow out a cavity in the seed core. Be careful not to make a hole or your filling with fall out.
Be sure to use sweet gherkins - not sour. The sweet gherkins make a sweeter mixture that pairs well with other tea sandwiches like my Rolled Tea Sandwiches.
Pack the tuna mixture into the hollow and mound over the cucumber.
You can garnish the bites with paprika, some herbs or more gherkin to your taste. A pinch of sea salt just before serving also brightens the flavour.
You will have gherkins left over that you can serve on the side along with sweet pickled cocktail onions.
I made these a few hours before serving so I stored them in the fridge on a couple of layers of paper towel to absorb any water that the cucumber released.
I served these as part of my Mother's Day Luncheon Buffet. Check out the other elegant finger foods here!
Ingredients
- 1 English cucumber
- 133 grams good quality canned tuna (about 5 oz)
- 2 Tbsps mayonnaise
- 6 sweet gherkins (mince 4 and reserve and slice 2 for garnish)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- paprika, sea salt, green onion for garnish
Instructions
- Wash the cucumber and trim the narrow ends. Score the skin evenly around lengthwise with a zester.
- Cut cucumber horizontally into 1 ½" slices. Gently make a hollow in the cucumber with a teaspoon measuring spoon. Be careful not to break through the bottom or your filling will fall out.
- Mix the tuna, mayonnaise and gherkins together. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Pack tuna into the hollow and mound over the cucumber surface.
- Slice reserved gherkins into thin horizontal slices. Top each tuna mound with a gherkin slice.
- Garnish with paprika, minced green onion. Finish with a pinch of sea salt.
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