Description
Elegant “smoked salmon cucumber bites” bring Mediterranean coastal charm to appetizer spreads with luxurious simplicity. Crisp cucumber rounds crowned with delicate salmon and herbed cream cheese create irresistible party nibbles you’ll savor in one perfect, refreshing bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Seafood Base:
- 8 oz smoked salmon
- 1 large cucumber
Main Ingredients:
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 2 tbsp fresh dill
- 1 tsp lemon zest
Garnish and Seasoning:
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp capers
- 2 tbsp fresh chives
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Chill cream cheese at room temperature for 15 minutes to soften and enhance spreadability.
- Thoroughly wash cucumber and slice into uniform rounds approximately 1/4-inch thick, creating elegant circular bases for the appetizer.
- Pat smoked salmon dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture, ensuring clean cutting and optimal texture.
- Blend softened cream cheese with finely chopped fresh dill, lemon zest, sea salt, and black pepper in a mixing bowl until uniformly combined.
- Spread herbed cream cheese mixture generously onto each cucumber round, creating a smooth, even layer.
- Delicately layer thin strips of smoked salmon atop the cream cheese, allowing slight elegant overhang on cucumber edges.
- Garnish each bite with precisely placed capers and finely chopped fresh chives for visual appeal and complementary flavor.
- Drizzle a minimal amount of extra virgin olive oil across the assembled bites to enhance moisture and provide a subtle fruity undertone.
- Refrigerate completed cucumber bites for 10-15 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld and maintain crisp presentation.
- Arrange on a clean serving platter, presenting the bites as sophisticated, bite-sized hors d’oeuvres perfect for entertaining.
Notes
- Select high-quality cream cheese at room temperature for smooth, spreadable consistency that blends seamlessly with herbs.
- Use English cucumber for thinner, less watery slices that provide crisp base without excess moisture interfering with cream cheese layer.
- Choose wild-caught smoked salmon for richer flavor profile and more delicate texture compared to farm-raised varieties.
- Experiment with fresh herb alternatives like tarragon or chervil to create unique flavor variations while maintaining elegant appetizer structure.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Smoking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 139
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 530 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 5 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg