“And the secret garden bloomed and bloomed and every morning revealed new miracles.”
—FRANCES HODGSON BURNETT, The Secret Garden
Cucumber-Herb Tea Sandwiches
Makes 9
Fresh lemon zest, almonds, parsley, mint, and basil add bright taste to a cream cheese spread to elevate customary cucumber sandwiches in this herbaceous and summery take on traditional teatime fare.
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
½ teaspoon fresh lemon zest
1 pinch fine sea salt
1 pinch fresh ground black pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped roasted lightly salted whole almonds
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh mint leaves
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh basil leaves
1½ teaspoons finely chopped fresh parsley
½ English cucumber
6 large slices firm white sandwich bread
• In a medium bowl, beat together cream cheese, lemon zest, salt, and pepper with a mixer at medium-high speed until combined and creamy. Stir in almonds, mint, basil, and parsley to incorporate.
• Using a sharp knife or a mandoline, cut 36 thin crosswise slices from cucumber. Blot slices dry on paper towels.
• Spread cream cheese mixture in an even layer onto all bread slices. On cream cheese side of each of 3 bread slices, layer 12 cucumber slices, overlapping as needed to fit. Cover each with a remaining bread slice, cream cheese side down, to make 3 whole sandwiches. Using a serrated bread knife in a gentle, sawing motion, trim and discard crusts from all sides of sandwiches. Cut each sandwich into 3 equal rectangles to
