Cucumber Boat stuffed with Flaked Fish Salad

Description

• Yield: 8 salads

Ingredients

• 4 medium cucumbers
• 2 cups cold flaked fish, such as halibut, bass, etc. (or use canned tuna or salmon)
• ½ cup celery in ½-inch pieces
• ½ cup sour cream
• 4 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 head lettuce
• 1 slice American cheese per serving
• 1 pimento piece ½ inch x 1½ inches per serving
• 2 or 3 tomato slices per serving
• parsley sprigs

Directions

1. Peel 4 medium cucumbers in strips ½-inch apart. Cut each in half lengthwise to give eight halves (or one half per person).
2. Cut out soft centers with a grapefruit knife. Chop and set aside.
3. Cut a strip from bottom of cucumber half so that it will rest firmly on the plate.
4. In a 2-quart bowl, combine 2 cupsthe fish, celery and all the chopped cucumber scooped from "boats".
5. Blend the sour cream with lemon juice, sugar and salt.
6. Add to mixture, blend well, and chill.
7. Shred the head lettuce in long thin slivers to simulate "waves".
8. Arrange on dinner or large salad plates.
9. Place the cucumber boat on the lettuce.
10. Heap the fish mixture to fill the cucumber shells.
11. Cut 1 slice American cheese in half diagonally to form a "sail".
12. Place in the center of fish mixture, narrow edge upright.
13. Cut a tiny banner of 1 pimento piece ½ inch x 1½ inches and pin it to the center of narrow side of cheese with a piece of toothpick.
14. Garnish around edge with 2 or 3 tomato slices and parsley sprigs.