Benedictine Sandwiches

Garden and Gun bills this creamy cucumber spread as "Kentucky's Pimiento Cheese Cousin," so of course it caught my attention in my inbox. I've also seen some awesomeness of pastoral beauty, food, people and even basketball come from the Fried Chicken Leg state (see the outline of the state if you are confused by my descriptor), so I thought they might know how to do a sandwich well too.

It makes for a refreshing summer or spring tea sandwich, or as we fashioned it, mid-day girly lake weekend meal.

It might have been the kind of meal that made certain members of the opposite sex beg for ham or turkey, but bacon made it a bit more meaty and all the more Southern, kind of like a creamy T-less BLT.

For the record, my recipe is more a variation on a commenter's version than the restaurant recipe the magazine ran. It seemed a bit more home kitchen friendly and just plain practical because you strained the cucumber (spread with too much veggie juice=gross).

Also, post-sandwich photographing I discovered the spread is even better on buttery crackers because you can taste more of the cucumber-onion role in the mix than on the sandwich. Go figure, because I prefer pimiento cheese on crackers over a sandwich.

Benedictine Spread

1 large cucumber
1 tsp. salt
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup minced onion
Worcestershire sauce, to taste
Pepper, to taste

Peel, seed and grate cucumber. Toss with salt. Place in a strainer and let sit overnight in the fridge.

The next day, squeeze out remaining water. Stir together cucumber and remaining ingredients. Taste and adjust seasonings to taste.

Serve chilled as desired. I served it on sandwich bread with bacon and baby romaine lettuce.