Cucumber Tea Sandwich

Cucumber Tea Sandwich Recipe Type: Sandwich, Afternoon Tea & High Tea, Cucumbers Yields: 8 whole sandwiches Prep time: 10 min Ingredients: 1/2 seedless cucumber, peeled and very thinly sliced (about 32 slices) 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 1/2 cup coarsely-chopped watercress leaves 16 slices best-quality white bread* Salt to taste 1/2 cup alfalfa sprouts * Choose the best-quality white or wheat bread as possible. Never serve end slices. Freezing the bread before cutting and then spreading makes for easier handling. Preparation: Place cucumber slices between layers of paper towels to remove excess moisture. In a small bowl, combine butter and watercress; spread on one side of each slice of bread. Lay cucumber slices onto the buttered side of eight (8) slices of bread. Sprinkle the cucumbers with salt. Cover each with 1 tablespoon alfalfa sprouts and top with the remaining slices of bread, buttered side down. Carefully cut the crusts from each sandwich with a long, sharp knife after the sandwiches are filled. Cut the sandwiches in half diagonally and then cut in half again. If desired, decorative shapes can be made with cookie cutters. Yields 8 whole sandwiches or 16 halves or 32 fourths. * Food Network