Smoked Salmon Taramasalata Food

SMOKED SALMON TARAMA WITH PITA CHIPS

Steps:

• Combine bread and milk in medium bowl. Let soak 5 minutes, tossing to moisten. Squeeze bread to release milk; reserve milk. Place bread in processor. Add next 4 ingredients; blend until smooth. With machine running, gradually add 5 tablespoons olive oil; transfer to medium bowl. Stir in tarama, 2 tablespoons dill, and enough reserved milk by tablespoonfuls to reach spreadable consistency. Season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover and chill.
• Pour enough olive oil into large skillet to cover bottom. Heat oil over medium high heat. Add pita triangles and cook until light brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towels and drain.
• Place bowl of salmon tarama in center of platter. Garnish with salmon caviar and dill. Surround with pita chips and serve. more info Tarama is sold at many supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Greek markets.

SMOKED SALMON TARAMASALATA

Steps:

• Tip the salmon, soft cheese, crème fraîche and lemon juice into a food processor. Blitz everything until smooth, then stir in a very large pinch cracked pepper. Spoon the mix into a large bowl, drizzle with olive oil and serve with toasted pitta bread and olives.

SMOKED SALMON

Steps:

• In a bowl, mix together salt, sugar, brown sugar and peppercorns. Spread extra-wide aluminum foil a little longer than the length of the fish and top with an equally long layer of plastic wrap. Sprinkle 1/3 of the rub onto the plastic. Lay 1 side of the fish skin down onto the rub. Sprinkle 1/3 of the rub onto the flesh of the salmon. Place second side of salmon, flesh down onto the first side. Use the remaining rub to cover the skin on the top piece. Fold plastic over to cover then close edges of foil together and crimp tightly around the fish. Place wrapped fish onto a plank or sheet pan and top with another plank or pan. Weigh with a heavy phone book or a brick or two and refrigerate for 12 hours. Flip the fish over and refrigerate another 12 hours. Some juice will leak out during the process so make sure there's a place for the runoff to gather. Unwrap fish and rinse off the cure with cold water. Pat salmon with paper towels then place in a cool, dry place (not the refrigerator) until the surface of the fish is dry and matte-like, 1 to 3 hours depending on humidity. A fan may be used to speed the process. Smoke fish (see Note) over smoldering hardwood chips or sawdust, keeping the temperature inside the smoker between 150 degrees F and 160 degrees F until the thickest part of the fish registers 150 degrees. Serve immediately or cool to room temperature, wrap tightly and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Cook's Note: Trout, mackerel, and bluefish also smoke well.