Mascarpone Cucumber & Tomato Cups

Uses from Broad Wing Farm Share: Cucumber, Garlic, Salad Tomatoes
U Pick at Broad Wing (bring your scissors!               ):  Parsley
 
Shopping List: 1 (8oz) pkg smoked salmon or trout, 1 8oz container Mascarpone cheese (or cream cheese 😊), lemon for zest, bunched Fresh Mint, bunched Fresh Dill (or dry if unavailable), fresh bunched chives or 1 small shallot, Roasted Bell Pepper (store bought or you roast), caraway seeds, capers (optional)
 
Special Equipment: sharp vegetable peeler, sharp small paring knife, citrus zester (if you have one), food processor, small melon baller (or teaspoon), piping bag (or quart or gallon sized zip lock), very absorbent clean kitchen towels or paper towels
 
Ingredients
All Cucumber share | trim ends, peel in one strip at a time, lengthwise, creating a striped look, or just peel 100% - slice into 1-inch lengths (discard peels, keep ends separately)  All Salad Tomato share | carefully cut out a very small round opening at the top (save tops in freezer bag), slice the thinnest possible piece off bottom of tomato, so they will stand & not roll (save bottom slices separately)Mascarpone Cheese (or cream cheese) | room temperature into food processor bowl8 oz Smoked Salmon or other fish | separate slices/chunks into food processor bowlZest from lemon peel | trim ends of lemon & discard.  With paring knife or peeler, slice one lengthwise slice of peel, removing little to no white pith.  If white pith comes with peel, use knife to carefully remove.  Slice across to create micro thin slices of the lemon peel (zest)½ Roasted Bell Pepper | squeeze in kitchen towel over sink, then press firmly between 2 very absorbent kitchen towels, weight of a small cast iron pan, or a large can from your panty pressing top down.  Allow to sit for 30 minutes1 clove bulb garlic | trimmed (end in your freezer bag) & chopped fineFresh Dill chopped to 1tbsp | (or 1 ½ tsp dry), pluck a few extra small frills for garnish, discard stemsFresh Chives chopped to 1tbsp | keep a few extra tops for garnishFresh Parsley chopped to 1 tbsp | put stems in your freezer bagFresh Mint leaves chopped to 1tbsp | discard stemsDrained Capers, about 1 tbsp | set aside with your herb garnishesCaraway Seeds, 1 tbsp | toast in a dry pan over medium low heat.  Swirl the seeds in the bottom of the pan until you start to smell them releasing aromatics.  Immediately remove from heat, but continue to swirl until pan is cool enough to touch.  If you note the seeds begin to brown before the pan cools, pour them on to a paper towel to cool & carefully put pan in your kitchen sink. 
Directions Blend Mascarpone Cheese & smoked fish in food processor until very smooth.  If using dry Dill, add it & your chopped garlic at this time, pulsing the processor to incorporate.  Move mixture into a medium mixing bowl.
Remove bell pepper half from towels, it should be dry, releasing no more excess liquid.  Chop it very fine & fold it into the mix with the fresh herbs & lemon zest.  Gently mix until completely incorporated.  Put in fridge uncovered.
Make ready your pastry bag with a large round tip, or pull out your zip lock bag. 
Prepare your cucumbers: with your melon baller or small teaspoon, scoop out the seeds (& discard) of each cucumber piece, leaving just enough at the base to form a flat bottom.  If you accidentally break through the bottom, take one of your reserved end pieces (remove any remaining stem) & insert it flat side up to form the bottom.  Prepare all of your cucumber pieces this way, lining them up on a baking sheet or large tray as you go.  Place the cups close together for easy filling. (discard any unused bottom reserves)
Prepare your tomatoes:  Scoop the loose innards out from each tomato.  If there is a remaining core, carefully remove it.  Some tomatoes will be juicy & the seeds will come out easily, others will be solid, similar to a heirloom.  If they are solid, scoop out a small dent the best you can, either with your melon baller or a teaspoon.  Keep innards for your freezer bag. If you accidentally break through the bottom of a tomato, take one of your reserved end pieces & insert it flat side up to form the bottom.  Line tomatoes up on the same sheet or tray as your cucumbers. (put any unused bottom reserves in your freezer bag)
With a rubber spatula, insert chilled cheese blend into your pastry bag or ziplock.  Force the mix down to the tip of your pastry bag with pinched fingers; or with a ziplock, bring the mix down in a similar way to one corner.  Snip the corner with a pair of kitchen shears.  You want to have an opening about the size of a cooked garbanzo bean.   
Hold open end of your bag over the 1st empty cup & squeeze the mixture into the created hole until it is filled.  Repeat across entire tray.
Garnish each cup with herb pieces, 2-3 capers, & a pinch of caraway seeds.  Serve immediately!  Great summer mid-day snack or evening appetizer.  Cheese mix can be made one day in advance & can be stored in bag until ready to use.  Cucumber & tomato cups should be made just prior to use.