How to properly cut cucumbers for salad. Cucumber and tomato salad

Forms of cutting fresh cucumber

Straw

Cutting cucumbers into strips is called julienne and is used for salads, cold soups, rolls and some appetizers. The optimal thickness of small straws is 0.2 cm, medium – 0.4-0.5 cm. The length of the straws can be different: from 2 to 10 cm, depending on the purpose of its use.

Cubes

The second most popular method of cutting cucumber is a cube, which is used for salads of any kind and cold soups. The standard size of the cubes is 5 mm. However, there are methods for salting and pickling cucumbers in large cubes - 1 cm in cross section.

Mugs

This cut can be found in some salads, but most often it is used to decorate vegetable plates.

Slices

This form of cutting is a thin (0.1-0.2 cm) layer. It can be made in different ways and sizes - the most convenient way to do this is to use a shredder. Typically, slices are used for preparing cold appetizers, filled rolls, vegetable rolls, or for decorating dishes.

How to properly cut a cucumber into strips

There are several ways to cut cucumbers into different strips: medium, long and even. We will consider all these methods step by step, with photos and detailed explanations, in this paragraph.

How to beautifully cut a cucumber into large strips

Cut the cucumber crosswise into pieces, the length of which should correspond to the length of the desired straw.

Then we lay the piece on its side and carefully use a knife to make a cut along the length for the skin.

Moving the knife forward with sawing movements with a small amplitude, using the finger of the hand holding the cucumber, we seem to untwist the fruit, opening up the cutting area for the knife. The thickness of the cut layer should be equal to the thickness of the desired straw.

You need to cut the layer down to the seed core.

After this, we divide the long layer crosswise into 3 parts and stack them on top of each other.
All that remains is to chop the stack of slices into straws. Slicing thickness = slice thickness.

In the same way, you can cut thicker strips (5-7 mm) and use them for a vegetable plate.

How to cut a cucumber into small strips

This cutting option is ideal for cold soups.

Chop the cucumber fruit into circles, the thickness of which should be 0.2-0.3 cm.

After this, we stack the slices on top of each other.

And chop the entire stack crosswise into small strips - 0.2-0.3 cm thick.

If longer straws are required, for example for salad or rolls, then the cucumber must be chopped into slices (circles at a large angle), and then, folding them in a stack, chop the straws along the long side of the slice.

How to cut a cucumber into long strips

The optimal choice of dishes for this type of cutting is Asian salads and rolls.

Cut the cucumber along the long side into slices 0.3-0.5 cm thick.

After this, we stack several slices and cut them lengthwise, departing 0.3-0.5 cm from the outer cut.

This is the kind of straw we will get.

Regular method

In most cases, housewives, when deciding how to cut a cucumber into strips, choose the simplest method. Such work is usually done in two stages:

First of all, washed vegetables must be cut into slices. You can do this with a sharp knife or use a regular shredder. There is no need to remove the peel first.
After this, the finished slices must be stacked in stacks of several pieces and carefully cut in the longitudinal direction. The thickness of each straw should be about two to three millimeters.

This is the most common way to cut a cucumber into strips. It is usually used to prepare simple and complex side dishes. In addition, salads consisting of thin strips of vegetables always look stylish, impressive and very appetizing. They are easy to mix, filling with various sauces and dressings. This mixture looks great on a plate and usually takes up very little space.

How to beautifully cut a cucumber into cubes

In order to cut cucumbers into cubes, you should first cut them into strips, about 5 mm thick. You can choose the method of cutting into strips yourself - whichever is more convenient for you. We will give the standard method:

Cut the cucumber lengthwise into slices - 5 mm in cross section.

Then, stacking 2-3 layers on top of each other, we also cut them lengthwise into cubes, retreating 5 mm from each subsequent cut so that the cubes are even.

After this, we chop the bars crosswise, still retreating 5 mm from the previous cut.

This method is more professional, but for some it may be more convenient than the previous one.

Chop the cucumber crosswise into circles (5 mm) and place them overlapping on the board.

Next, chop the mugs with transverse straws (straw thickness = 5 mm).

Cut the resulting straw crosswise into cubes with the same thickness parameters - 5 mm.

How to cut cucumbers into cubes yourself

There are two ways to cut a cucumber into cubes. The choice of method depends on the culinary purpose.

Option #1

For Korean salad and pickling, take thin cucumbers and cut them along the axis into 4 parts. If the cucumber is thick, then each block can be cut lengthwise again.

We adjust the length of the bars according to the recipe. For pickling, bars cut to the length of the cucumber are most often used, and for salad - four or five centimeter pieces.

Option No. 2

Cut the cucumber crosswise into 5-centimeter pieces.

After that, we cut each of them lengthwise into thick layers (0.7-1 cm).

Next, take 1-2 layers and cut them lengthwise into bars.

We hope that you took away something new and useful for yourself from our master class, and now you will be able to cut a cucumber into strips and other shapes. Use different methods to find the most optimal and convenient option for yourself.

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Dish decoration

In order for a dish to not only be tasty, but also look beautiful on the plate, it is necessary to arrange it correctly. This applies to salads and many side dishes. Regarding fresh vegetables, this question is especially relevant. In each individual case, you need to know in advance, for example, how to properly cut a cucumber into strips. This is where special kitchen appliances can come to the rescue. Nowadays, there are many different mechanisms for chopping food that can take on some of the hard housework. Regular chopping can be done using food processors. If it concerns some special forms, then simpler devices can be used. For example, thin cucumber strips can be made using a special grater for preparing carrots in Korean.

How to cut cucumbers into strips

Forms of cutting fresh cucumber

Straw

Cubes

Mugs

This cut can be found in some salads, but most often it is used to decorate vegetable plates.

Slices

Wedges and slices

Cutting cucumber into slices and slices is in demand in preparing salads and cold soups. It is a half or quarter circle. The thickness of the slice can be from 2 to 5 mm.

Bruschi

The cubes can most often be seen in Korean salads or rolls. There are 2 ways to cut a cucumber into bars and the simplest is to longitudinally cut the fruit into 4 parts. The length of the bars can be either short (4 cm) or long (up to 10 cm).

How to prepare a cucumber for slicing

Rinse the fruit under running water.
Cut off the bottom and top edges.

If the skin is thick, it can be removed with a vegetable peeler.

How to properly cut a cucumber into strips

There are several ways to cut cucumbers into different strips: medium, long and even. We will consider all these methods step by step, with photos and detailed explanations, in this paragraph.

How to beautifully cut a cucumber into large strips

Cut the cucumber crosswise into pieces, the length of which should correspond to the length of the desired straw.

Then we lay the piece on its side and carefully use a knife to make a cut along the length for the skin.

Moving the knife forward with sawing movements with a small amplitude, using the finger of the hand holding the cucumber, we seem to untwist the fruit, opening up the cutting area for the knife. The thickness of the cut layer should be equal to the thickness of the desired straw.

You need to cut the layer down to the seed core.

After this, we divide the long layer crosswise into 3 parts and stack them on top of each other.
All that remains is to chop the stack of slices into straws. Slicing thickness = slice thickness.

General recommendations for gardeners on growing cucumbers

Trimming stepsons is a very important agrotechnical procedure. You just need to do it carefully so as not to harm the plant and not deprive yourself of the future harvest. Below we bring to your attention a detailed action diagram that will help you properly trim cucumbers in a greenhouse.

First of all, you need to determine what type of plants you have: varietal, hybrid, tall, bush. This is necessary in order to choose the correct pattern for cutting them. Also, when planting cucumbers in a greenhouse, think in advance about the method of growing them (trellis or beds). After all, for example, tall varieties require mandatory staking, which also makes it possible to effectively use the greenhouse area.

The formation of bushes begins in the early stages of plant growth. And this process continues regularly, until the whip dries completely.

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Dry leaves require constant destruction to avoid the possibility of plant disease.

The plant's tendrils are removed, as their development requires a lot of nutrients.

Mustache trimming

Scourges without ovaries must also be pruned, as well as diseased, yellowed shoots.

It is better to carry out pruning in the morning to ensure that the “wounds” heal. Otherwise, the plant may contract an infection.

The temperature in the greenhouse during pinching should be at least 20 degrees.

Those varieties that are pollinated by bees should grow in one stem.

To understand that you are doing everything right, look at your bush from the outside. It should look like an inverted triangle.

Don't forget about regular watering and fertilizing. Cucumbers love water and are very susceptible to feeding. This way you will definitely become the owner of an excellent harvest.

Every novice gardener can competently form vines and trim cucumbers in a greenhouse so that there is a good harvest. This procedure seems complicated only at first glance. In fact, it allows you to get a large number of healthy and high-quality fruits even in a small area. Have a good harvest in your greenhouses!

Do you grow cucumbers in your garden?

If you look at various photos of table settings, you can understand that the most popular cut for cucumber is slice, that is, chopping into thin circles, or, if you cut the fruit at an angle, into ovals. The greater the cutting angle, the longer the slices will be.

To make the slices really thin, you need to use a well-sharpened knife for slicing or use a shredder.

To do this, the edge of the cucumber must be cut to the desired cutting diameter across or at an angle.

Next, chop the cucumber on a grater, lowering it from top to bottom at an angle, depending on the desired size of the slices.

Undoubtedly, this type of cutting is convenient, and with a competent composition it looks excellent on the plate.

However, there are tricks that can make incredible beauty out of ordinary slices.

Carbing

Applying nicks or cuts to the surface of a product is called carving. In order to make a decoration or just a beautiful slice from a cucumber, you can use shallow symmetrical carving or make some figures from the fruit: flowers, stars, hearts, like, for example, carrots.

How to cut carrots beautifully

Using a knife or a special attachment on a vegetable peeler, carefully make longitudinal cuts along the length of the cucumber on the skin.

After this, cut the cucumber into slices at an angle or evenly across. The thickness of the slices must be adjusted independently.

You can also cut the fruit in half lengthwise and make an original snake out of cucumber slices.

Surely you have at least once seen it on sale, and it is quite possible that you have already purchased a knife for wavy cutting of potatoes. It's time to use this kitchen device for cutting cucumbers in an original way.

The fruits can be cut into regular circles or after carbing the cucumber. Such slices will look quite original, and such design will take a minimum of time.

But not only circles can be cut in this way. With the help of such a knife, the blocks for the vegetable plate will look more picturesque.

From thin circles you can make a gorgeous rose in just a couple of minutes. To fix it, we need toothpicks, and for slicing, we need a shredder, a vegetable peeler, or a very sharp knife that will allow us to chop the vegetable quite thinly.

We chop the cucumber crosswise into thin circles and lay them out overlapping in a row. The more circles, the larger and more magnificent the rose will be.

Now from the edge we begin to tightly roll the circles, like a roll.

We fix the rose from below with toothpicks crosswise and correct the petals.

We suggest you familiarize yourself with How to properly grow kiwi at home

How to beautifully cut cucumbers: strips, roses and branches

Originality is important when decorating a holiday dish. And if you know how to cut cucumbers beautifully, you can surprise your guests with your skill. There are many ways to serve vegetables in an original way, for example in the form of a straw or a flower. A little imagination - and success is guaranteed.

The process is not complicated at all. In addition, the technique can subsequently be used to decorate other vegetables:

Without peeling the cucumber, carefully move the knife in a spiral from top to bottom, removing the peel with a layer of pulp, as if peeling a potato. Make sure that the plate coming out from under the knife is not interrupted and is approximately the same width along its entire length,
Place the resulting ribbon on a rose-shaped dish, rolling it in several layers like a roll.

The center can be decorated with black olives or cherry tomatoes.

Another simple option for serving cucumber. To cut a vegetable into beautiful thin strips, do the following:

Remove the stems from the washed vegetable and remove the peel,
cut the cucumber lengthwise into equal slices, each 4-5 mm thick,
then cut the greens again lengthwise, but perpendicular to the previous cut,
Divide the resulting straw into equal parts.

Choose the length and thickness of the straw depending on the dish you want to decorate or complement.

Another unusual option for serving cucumber. But it will require certain skills.

cut the greens into two halves lengthwise,
then cut each part from the convex side into oblique circles 2-3 mm thick, but do not reach the end by about 5 mm. Make an odd number of such circles so that the pattern is symmetrical,
Now bend the slices in a semicircle inside the cucumber, towards the long part to which the circles are not cut, one at a time.

As a result, you will get an original addition to the cucumber rose in the form of leaves.

To display on a snack platter, the vegetable can be cut into classic oblique circles 5-6 mm thick, holding the knife to the surface of the greens at an angle of approximately 45 degrees. This method is suitable for both fresh and pickled cucumbers.

You can also cut the cucumber lengthwise into 4 long equal slices: first in half, and then each half in half again. This cut is convenient for garnishing dishes.

If the cucumbers are short and thick enough, then they can be cut crosswise into two parts. Then carefully scrape out the core from each part with a thin knife, stuff it with filling and place the boats on a plate.

So, you can use different techniques and methods to cut a cucumber. The main thing is to maintain symmetry and act carefully.

Slicing watermelon and melon for the holiday table

Herring often decorates the festive table, as it is a favorite “snack” for strong alcoholic drinks among the “Russian people”. In order to give it a more “elegant look”, you should use several ways to decorate the fish:

Cleaned fish can be placed on a plate in pieces, alternating them with slices of fresh lemon.
The fish can be garnished with white or blue onion rings, and the onion can be inserted between the pieces.
You can decorate the laid out pieces of herring by sprinkling them with chopped green onions (onions can be replaced with chopped dill or parsley).
The flesh of the fish goes well with the taste of green olives, which at the same time can decorate the serving.

Festive cutting of herringSlicing of herring fillet with blue onions and herbsSlicing of herring for the holidaySmoked herring with vegetables and lemonOriginal cutting of herring fillet

At any celebration, vegetable slices, decorated in an original way, look beautiful.

Beautiful slices of different types of cheese always add sophistication to the holiday table. You can cut cheese in a variety of ways, the main thing is that the pieces are as uniform as possible.

It is better to cut hard cheeses into cubes and put them on skewers. Dutch cheese can be cut into slices and rolled into tubes. You can do the same with processed cheese for sandwiches. This cheese makes a good choice for decorating cheese slices in the form of lilies.

For a more original cut of cheese, the product can be cut using molds, giving the pieces different shapes. This creates a lot of waste that can be used in other dishes.

Since cheese goes well with nuts and honey, these products should be used to decorate sliced cheese.

You shouldn’t just cut vegetables onto a plate, because such vegetable slicing is most often boring and you are unlikely to be able to surprise your guests with it.

A beautifully decorated vegetable platter looks great at any event, as it is more interesting and attracts the attention of all the guests who attended your event. . We recommend using different greens for decoration.

For example, sliced vegetables go well with onions, parsley, dill or other herbs that you find at home.

For decoration, we recommend using various greens. For example, sliced vegetables go well with onions, parsley, dill or other herbs that you find at home.

An assortment of vegetables also looks beautiful if it is decorated with olives or lettuce leaves.

Don’t know what interesting things to do to make the vegetable cutting extraordinary or artistic exclusive? Feel free to choose carving vegetables.

This is an unusual cutting of vegetables, thanks to which they will become not just beautiful, but real works of art.

Just have a lot of patience and professional skills, and then you will get a unique and delicious vegetable cut that will be appreciated by all invited guests.

Cold cuts are the best appetizer and tasty treat for guests. As a rule, cold cuts consist of different types of salted, smoked meat, supplemented with sausages. Cold cuts can be combined with a variety of cheeses, olives, lettuce or herbs. Vegetables in cut meats can release “juice”, which is very undesirable for meat.

IMPORTANT: The exception is small cherry tomatoes, which do not need to be cut. They can be neatly placed on top of the slices, adding brightness and freshness to the dish.

It is very convenient to roll meat into thin slices into neat tubes and arrange it in “scales” or rosettes. You can cut the meat very thinly and beautifully using a sharp wide knife or a special “slicer” device.

Simple large sliced meatsOriginal sliced meats with cheeseSliced meats with fresh and salted vegetablesAppetizing cold cuts on a wooden plate

Melons will also be a bright seasonal treat for guests. Such a treat can decorate the main and dessert tables. In any case, it will be appropriate and very “popular” among guests.

There are several basic ways to cut melon and watermelon:

Cubes - cutting is done with a knife. The peeled pulp of watermelon or melon is cut, cleared of seeds. The pieces are laid out scattered or in half on a serving plate.
Balls - a special spoon is used for cutting, which forms a beautiful ball. These cuts should be placed in wide bowls or bowls.
Slices - this method involves peeling the fruit from the seed part and cutting it into triangular slices along with the skin. In this case, you can use wooden sticks (for ice cream) so that the pieces can be conveniently taken from the dish and eaten.

It is customary to eat pieces of watermelon or melon by pricking them with a fork. If your feast does not involve cutlery (buffet table, picnic), you should insert a skewer and toothpick into each piece.

Cutting watermelon into cubes Cutting watermelon into pieces Cutting watermelon into balls Cutting melon into cubes Cutting melon into slices