25 Minute Smoked Salmon Canapés With Cucumber Food

25 MINUTE SMOKED SALMON CANAPéS WITH CUCUMBER

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200°F.
• Toast pita bread straight on the oven racks for 15 minutes until golden brown and warmed.
• To a blender add in cream cheese, artichoke hearts, garlic cloves, lemon, parsley, and salt. Blend until thoroughly combined and no large pieces of artichoke remain. Add mixture to a piping bag fitted with Wilton 1M tip. Set aside.
• Using a vegetable peeler, carefully and slowly shave long ribbon-like strips of cucumber. Be careful not to break the strips as you peel. Set aside.
• To assemble the canapé, cut toasted pita into 2.5 inch circles using a cookie cutter or jar lid. Spread a thin layer of butter over the pita. Pipe cream cheese along the top of the pita, gently twisting as you pipe to help release at the tip. Take a strip of cucumber and gently fold it over on itself four times, being sure to tuck the ends behind the nicely folded ribbon. Place the cucumber ribbon on the piped cream cheese, making sure it sticks in place. Take two strips of salmon, and gently roll together form a rose. Place the salmon rose in the center of the canapé. Serve immediately.

CUCUMBER CUPS WITH DILL CREAM AND SMOKED SALMON

Steps:

• Trim ends from cucumbers and cut crosswise into 24 (3/4-inch-thick) rounds. Scoop a 1/2-inch-deep depression from one side of each round with a small melon-baller, forming little cups. Drain cucumbers, cup sides down, on paper towels for 15 minutes.
• Beat cream cheese, chopped dill, lemon zest, lemon juice, and black pepper together in a bowl. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon cheese mixture into each cucumber cup. Top each cup with 1 salmon strip and 1 dill sprig.

SMOKED SALMON CUCUMBERS

Steps:

• With a fork, score cucumber peel lengthwise; cut into 1/4-in. slices. Pipe or spread cream cheese onto each slice; top with salmon. Sprinkle with chives. Refrigerate until serving.