An open sandwich of hot smoked salmon on cool, creamy cheese
This open sandwich was a HUGE hit with the Chief Taster who is usually very hard to please, but in fact, everybody liked it.
What does make the difference though, is the hot-smokedness of the salmon. If you just use ordinary salmon it doesn’t have the same oomph. It’s quite difficult sometimes to find, as it is often referred to as ‘salmon, smoked and kiln-roasted’.
Recipe for an open sandwich of hot smoked salmon on cool, creamy cheese
Serves 4 for lunch and 10 as canapés
Ingredients
• 280g/9 oz cream cheese
• 2 tbsps dill – a few sprigs – snip them in later
• 1 large lemon – juice and zest
• Small jar – 190g/6 oz cornichons or gherkins
• Smoked salt and freshly ground black pepper…or Urfa pepper flakes
• Slices of rye bread (NB not pumpernickel – rye bread with yeast which rises, albeit it is heavy), or sourdough bread – how many slices you need depends on the size of the slices – one ‘normal’ slice would be enough for one person
• 300g/10 oz smoked and kiln roasted salmon – ideally already flaked
• Olive oil
• 60 ml/¼ cup rosé vermouth
Method
1. Heat the hot smoked salmon through with a couple of tbsps. of olive oil and the rosé vermouth. The liquid soaks into the fish and keeps it moist.
2. Toast the bread.
3. Meanwhile put the cream cheese into a bowl, and snip in the dill. Add the salt and pepper and mix.
4. Drizzle a little olive oil over each piece of toast, and spread over the cheese mixture.
5. Top with the salmon and a gherkin.
6. If you have any fish left over, mix with more cream cheese, or some crème fraîche or thick yoghurt, and serve in a small bowl together with any leftover cornichons.
