Matt Hayes is head chef at the Wolseley where they make 200 portions of cucumber sandwiches a day. So if anyone knows, he does …
The British have long associated elegance with understatement. Take cucumber sandwiches – basic and affordable but still a sign of luxury. They're an essential component of afternoon tea, something in which Matt Hayes, head pastry chef at the Wolseley on London's Piccadilly, specialises. They make 200 portions of cucumber sandwiches a day.
"People love the combination of soft bread, crunchy cucumber and lightly salted butter. Our guests would definitely be horrified if they weren't there," says Hayes.
Thin, uniform slices of bread are key so ask a baker to slice the bread. Source British cucumber and use good-quality, lightly salted butter.
Cucumber sandwich
SERVES 4
thin sliced white bread 8 slices
cucumber 1
salted butter at room temperature
salt and pepper to taste
Lightly and evenly butter the slices of bread right to the edges.
Peel the cucumber and cut to the length of the bread. Using a peeler, thinly slice the cucumber until you get down to the seeds, turn the cucumber and repeat the process until all the flesh has been removed. Discard the seeds – they will make the bread soggy. Place the strips of cucumber evenly on the bread and lightly season. Top with a slice of bread.
Leave the sandwiches for around 10 minutes – this stops the cucumber slices sliding around when you cut them up. To retain moisture and avoid the bread drying out, leave a slightly damp cloth on top.
Carefully remove the crusts and cut into fingers or triangles. For a twist, you can also add chopped mint and a little creme fraiche. thewolseley.com