Ingredients:

  • 2 large English cucumbers, sliced into 1/8-inch rounds
  • 1 tsp Kosher salt
  • 2 tbsp fresh dill, finely minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh chives, snipped
  • 1 loaf Pullman bread, sliced thin (approx. 24 slices)
  • 8 oz full-fat cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup unsalted high-fat European butter, softened
  • 1 tsp lemon zest, microplaned
  • 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder

Instructions:

  1. Slice the cucumbers. Use a mandoline to cut both English cucumbers into 1/8 inch rounds.
  2. Extract the moisture. Lay the slices on a paper towel-lined baking sheet and sprinkle with 1 tsp Kosher salt. Wait 30 minutes until beads of water form on the surface.
  3. Dry thoroughly. Pat the tops of the cucumbers firmly with more towels. They should feel tacky, not slippery.
  4. Whip the spread. Combine 8 oz softened cream cheese and 1/4 cup European butter in a bowl. Add the dill, chives, lemon zest, pepper, and garlic powder.
  5. Beat the mixture. Use a mixer for 2 minutes until the spread looks pale and velvety.
  6. Apply the barrier. Spread a thin, even layer of the mixture onto one side of all 24 slices of Pullman bread. Go all the way to the edges.
  7. Layer the cucumbers. On 12 slices of bread, shingle the cucumber rounds in three rows, overlapping them slightly.
  8. Close the sandwiches. Top with the remaining bread slices, spread side down. Press gently to lock the layers.
  9. Execute the trim. Use a serrated knife to trim the crusts until the edges are perfectly white. Usually, this is about a 1/4 inch trim on all sides.
  10. Final cut. Slice each square into three fingers or four triangles.