Cucumber Tea Sandwiches With Tarragon Butter

Ingredients

• 1 large english cucumber, peeled, sliced paper thin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup fresh tarragon, minced
• 1/4 cup fresh chervil, minced
• 30 slices whole wheat bread, enough to make 72 (2x4inch) rectangles (thin slices)
• to taste watercress leaf (optional)
• to taste mayonnaise (optional)
• to taste fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

Recipe

• 1 put cucumber slices into a large, non-metal bowl.
• 2 toss with salt. sprinkle with vinegar.
• 3 toss to mix well.
• 4 let stand 1 hour.
• 5 drain well in colander.
• 6 blend butter, tarragon and chervil.
• 7 to assemble, spread butter over 1 side of each bread slice. cover 15 slices with cucumbers, dividing evenly.
• 8 close sandwiches.
• 9 trim crusts.
• 10 cut into 36 rectangles.
• 11 arrange on platter, garnished with watercress leaves.
• 12 optional: for looks, dip one end of a sandwich into mayonnaise, then into minced fresh parsley.