The Prudent Wife

This recipe came from Fix-It and Forget-It Recipes for Entertaining, Slow Cooker Favorites for All Year Round. I love to read cookbooks, and this recipe, Elijah's Cucumber Soup fascinated me. Cooked cukes? Cuke soup in the crock pot?  I made this easy Vietnamese recipe last night and it was actually very good! When your garden is coming up cucumbers - this is a great way to use them up!

• 1 lb. ground pork (I had ground beef on hand so used that) also beef, chicken, turkey
• 2 Tbsp. fish sauce (this is an item that is an indispensable must have for that authentic flavor!) 
• 4 large cucumbers peeled 
• 2 quarts of boiling water
• 2 green onions, chipped
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 Tbsp fish sauce
• salt to taste

Get the water simmering in a large pot. Combine meat with 2 Tbsp of the fish sauce in a bowl. Add the pepper, and mix thoroughly.  

Cut peeled cukes in half, and scoop out the seeds, making a canoe out of them. Stuff meat mixture into the cukes. Make meatballs out of any remaining meat mixture. Carefully, drop into the boiling water.  Cook for 15 minutes, and be sure to remove any foam and discard.

(Lisa's note - we only had sliced cukes on hand, leftover from a huge party tray. So I made meatballs, and cooked them alone. I added the cukes into the crockpot, along with the whole pot of meatball/water!) 

 Carefully - transfer the whole boiling pot into your slow cooker. Add green onions, pepper, and 4 additional Tbsp of fish sauce. 

Cover, cook on high 1 1/2 - 2 hours.

Serve over whole grain rice in a bowl, along with lemon juice Have hot chili sauce on hand! 

This is an easy summer meal. Serve with a salad and fruit for dessert for a light summer repast!