Cucumber Sandwiches

Cucumbers are an unappreciated vegetable, oftentimes just tossed haphazardly into salads.  Recently, Seth and I ordered sandwiches from a deli that seemed promising.  Though the thickly-packed sandwiches were a bit lackluster in flavor, we couldn't get enough of the big, fresh chunks of cucumber hidden within.  Bright, crunchy, and delicious, this vegetable became the star of the show, and we found ourselves hoping to encounter more cucumber with each bite.  In tribute, here is a cucumber sandwich recipe to celebrate its secret awesomeness.

Ingredients

1 loaf rye bread

1 English cucumber, sliced

8 oz cream cheese, room temperature

4 tablespoons butter, softened

dash Worcestershire sauce

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon onion powder

1/8 teaspoon paprika

fresh parsley sprigs

lemon wedges

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Beat the cream cheese, butter, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika.  Spread some mixture on a slice of rye bread.  Place slices of cucumber on top of the mixture.  Add sprigs of parsley to the top of the cucumber.  Sprinkle some fresh lemon juice, salt, and pepper on top of that.  Place another slice of bread on top, and cut off the crusts.