Cucumber Boat Stuffed with Flaked Fish Salad

(West Africa). Peel 4 medium cucumbers in strips 1/2-inch apart. Cut each in half lengthwise to give eight halves (or one half per person). Cut out soft centers with a grapefruit knife. Chop and set aside. Cut a strip from bottom of cucumber half so that it will rest firmly on the plate. In a 2-quart bowl: Combine: 2 cups cold flaked fish as halibut, bass, etc. (or use canned tuna or salmon), 1/2 cup celery in 1/2-inch pieces and all the chopped cucumber scooped from "boats". Blend: 1/2 cup sour cream with 4 Tbsp lemon juice, 2 Tbsp sugar and 1/2 tsp. salt. Add to fish mixture, blend well, and chill. Shred 1 head lettuce in long thin slivers to simulate waves". Arrange on dinner or large salad plates. Place the cucumber boat on the lettuce. Heap the fish mixture to fill the cucumber shells. Cut 1 slice American cheese in half diagonally to form a "sail". Place in the center of mixture, narrow edge upright. Cut a tiny banner of 1 pimiento piece 1/2 inch x 1 1/2 inches and pin it to the center of narrow side of cheese with a piece of toothpick. Garnish around edge with 2 or 3 tomato slices and parsley sprigs. Yield: 8 salads