Smoked Salmon on Rye
Ingredients
- 10 slices cocktail rye bread small rounds or squares
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill chopped, plus small sprigs for garnish
- 4 oz thinly sliced smoked salmon
- 1/4 small red onion sliced paper-thin
- 1 tablespoon capers
- cracked black pepper for topping
Instructions
- Beat the cream cheese with lemon juice and chopped dill until smooth and easy to spread.
- Spread a thin layer of the dill cream cheese on each slice of cocktail rye, right to the edges.
- Cut or fold the smoked salmon into pieces slightly smaller than the bread, so it sits inside the border.
- Drape one piece of salmon over each slice in loose folds rather than flat, for height and texture.
- Top with 1 or 2 slivers of red onion, arranged so they peek out rather than cover the salmon.
- Scatter a few capers over each piece and finish with a small dill sprig.
- Add a light crack of black pepper just before serving, not earlier, so it does not weep color into the cream cheese.
- Arrange in a single layer on a plate and serve within 2 hours of assembling for the best texture.
Good to Know
Make the dill cream cheese up to 2 days ahead; assemble no more than 2 hours before serving so the bread stays crisp.