LUXURY DOUBLE SMOKED SALMON BITES: prep-ahead, wallet-friendly, good fibre

Smoked salmon is traditional at an English Christmas; these creamy little delights contain two types - cold and hot smoked... 

Simple but sensational cucumber cups with Double Salmon Pate
'So delicious; the pate melts in the mouth' 'Such a treat!'

Like many Christmas treats, this recipe can involve a splurge of spending or you can go the frugal route.

On this occasion 67 opted for a luscious velvet-like cream cheese from local deli Roni's* with price to match instead of Philadelphia.  The budget didn't, however,  extend to 67 favourite, Foreman's, smoked salmon.  The cold and hot smoked supermarket salmons which included a Taste Award winner were surprisingly good  substitutes.

The Double Salmon Pate is a doddle to make easy and can be prepared ahead. The cucumber slices are better done not long before serving.  

Cost: min. £4 (with enough leftover cream cheese & salmon for a 2nd batch)

Makes: about 16 bites but multiplies easily

Ingreds:

   150gm/5.2oz room-temperature very good cream cheese (beware: some supermarket own-brands can be watery) 

   

   50gm/1.7oz cold smoked salmon, chopped in small pieces

   

   3 tbsp finely diced fennel or celery or olives

   1 tbsp finely diced radish 

   lots of pepper and a little salt

   finely grated zest of 1 lime

   min 1/2 tbsp -max 1 tbsp lime juice, to taste

   2-3 dashes tabasco sauce (opt)

   

   50-75gm/1.7-2.6oz hot smoked salmon flakes

   1 large cucumber   

Method:

1. Gently whisk cream cheese 
2. Stir in veg, zest & juice of lime plus tabasco. if using
3. Fold in finely chopped cold smoked salmon; distribute evenly 
4. Carefully stir in flakes of hot-smoked salmon
5. A few hours before needed, peel cucumber & cut in 1/4 inch/1cm slices.  Using a small teaspoon and leaving a small layer on the bottom, remove 2/3 of the seeds, creating a 'cup' which will hold the pate.  Dry with kitchen paper; cover; refrigerate until needed.
6. When ready to serve,  load a generous teaspoon of salmon pate onto the cucumber slice; top with a sprig of fennel or celery fronds

*Roni's Delis, Belsize Village 

Comments: 

'This was quite a treat; I haven't had salmon for a while. The contrast of  cucumber and pate was good.' Retired Priest

'10 out of 10. The pate is so delicious and melts in the mouth.' 67 handyman

Tips:

1. There will be sufficient leftovers to serve spread on toast rounds OR
2. ...on cooked new potatoes.  Boil potatoes until the point of a knife meets some resistance - maybe 10 mins.  Halve potatoes ; cut a thin sliver off the bottom to stabilise the potato.   Make a depression in the middle of each, leaving plenty of potato flesh near the skin; season lightly.  Fill with salmon pate; garnish with two intersecting chive spears, caviar or salmon roe.

 

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This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.