Real English Cucumber Tea Sandwiches

This recipe for traditional cucumber tea sandwiches is adapted from the London Ritz book of afternoon tea. Doesn't get more English and elegant than that! With soft butter, soft bread, and perfectly-seasoned cucumbers, your afternoon just got a lovely upgrade.

Prep Time10

Cook Time0

Cucumber Salting Time20

Servings: 2 to 3 people (8 tea sandwich triangles)

Calories: 204kcal

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Ingredients

▢ 1 English cucumber (or 3 small Persian cucumbers or 1 American)
▢ Kosher salt (I use Diamond Crystal brand)
▢ splash white wine or rice vinegar.
▢ 4 slices thin, soft sandwich bread
▢ 1 tablespoon or so good salted butter, such as Kerry Gold, softened

Instructions

Peel the cucumber or cucumbers (if using Persian) and slice them into very thin strips using a vegetable peeler or mandoline. Stop when you reach the seedy center.
Place the cucumber strips in a colander or mixing bowl and toss with a nice sprinkle of salt and the vinegar. Let drain in a colander for 20 minutes, then pat the excess moisture off with a paper towel.
TIP: Place a dish beneath the colander to catch the cucumber water, so you don't make a puddle on your countertop.
While the cucumbers are salting in the colander, generously butter one side of each bread slice and arrange them butter-side up on a cutting board.
When ready, layer two of the bread slices with two overlapping layers of cucumber. I arrange them in a closely-overlapping shingle pattern. If this seems too thin, add an extra layer.
Top the cucumbers with the other buttered bread slices, butter side down. Press gently to adhere the sandwich together. Use a sharp knife to cut off the crusts.
Slice each sandwich in half diagonally, then again with the opposite diagonal, creating an "X." Alternatively, slice the sandwiches lengthwise into fingers.
Serve your cucumber tea sandwiches with a nice up of tea.

Notes

To keep your sandwiches fresh:

If you do not plan to serve the cucumber tea sandwiches immediately, keep them covered with a lightly-dampened paper towel, cloth, or some plastic wrap to prevent the bread from going stale.

You can store the sandwiches covered at room temperature for up to two hours. Otherwise, you will want to keep them in the refrigerator, covered, but for no longer than four hours.

Substitutions, Swaps, and Add-Ins:

You may want to vary your sandwiches to your own taste. Because there are so few ingredients, the main way to substitute an ingredient is to substitute the butter with good mayonnaise or softened, whipped cream cheese. I do not recommend using Greek yogurt as a spread; the flavor will have too much tang.

Other Substitutions and Additions:

Bread: Mild wheat bread and white bread can be used interchangeably
If you'd like to add a little bit of fresh herbs, a sprinkle of minced chives or chervil (think: milder, more delicate parsley) would be lovely, as well as dill. You could also add a thin layer of watercress leaves, for a cucumber watercress sandwich. I do not recommend mint, as the flavor will be too pronounced.
A sprinkle of fresh-ground black pepper would not be amiss, but is not necessary
The cucumbers do need a bit of acid for the flavor to really sing. I think that a mild vinegar is best, but a squeeze of lemon juice could work. Just know that the flavor will change a bit.

Nutrition

Disclaimer: Nutrition information is provided for courtesy purposes only, and is an estimate not verified by medical or nutrition experts. Read the full nutrition disclaimer.