Recipes: Fabulous Festive Fish! Little Smoked Salmon Cucumber Cups With Peppered Crème Fraiche
Recipes:
Fabulous Festive Fish!
Little Smoked Salmon Cucumber Cups With Peppered Crème Fraiche
Loch Fyne Smoked Salmon Tartine (Tartine au saumon fumé)
For my last Fish on Friday post before Christmas, I bring you a simple and very elegant appetiser, Little Smoked Salmon Cucumber Cups With Peppered Crème Fraiche, as well as a list of some of my fish recipes over the last year…….most of the recipes I am sharing in this fabulous fishy post are quick and easy to make and will be perfect as a change from all the rich food that we will be eating over the festive period. Smoked salmon and hot smoked salmon are the stars of the festive table, especially the buffet table, and are both easy to prepare. I am writing this post from my hotel room in London, so this will be short and sweet as I am hunched over my laptop in the Wi-Fi lounge! But, I hope that you will all gain some fabulous fishy inspiration from the recipe links I am sharing, as well as the recipe for my Little Smoked Salmon Cucumber Cups With Peppered Crème Fraiche.
Little Smoked Salmon Cucumber Cups With Peppered Crème Fraiche
Apart from the smoked salmon recipes, my favourite festive hot smoked salmon recipe is without doubt Hot Smoked Salmon Wellington. The only salmon I ever use is from Delish Fish; it is delicately roasted with honey and has a subtle smoked flavour. The Hot Smoked Salmon Wellingtons make a perfect meal or you can make smaller ones for a buffet……just serve them with some home-made tartar sauce.
Hot Smoked Salmon Wellington
Anyway, time to go now, I will see you later when I am back home in North Yorkshire! Have a GREAT Friday, Karen.
Little Smoked Salmon Cucumber Cups With Peppered Crème Fraiche
Print recipe
| Serves | 30 |
| Prep time | 15 minutes |
| Allergy | Fish |
| Meal type | Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack, Starter |
| Misc | Gourmet, Pre-preparable, Serve Cold |
| Occasion | Christmas, Formal Party, Thanksgiving |
| Region | British |
| By author | Karen S Burns-Booth |
Ingredients
- 1 medium cucumber, cut into 1-inch slices
- 10 tablespoons creme fraiche
- zest of one large lemon
- fresh ground black pepper, to taste (about 2 teaspoons)
- 225 g smoked salmon (8 ozs)
- salt (optional)
- lemon slices, to garnish (optional)
- dill (optional) or parsley, to garnish (optional)
Note
Delightful and EASY little smoked salmon and cucumber appetisers, and healthy too, with NO pastry! These are a breeze to make but they tick all the taste boxes, as well as being elegant. Cucumbers do vary in size, and I have suggested a medium cucumber, which is about 10″ to 12″ long………however, any size will do!! Adjust the crème fraîche to how many cups you yield from a cucumber, I managed to make 30 cups and used 10 tablespoons of crème fraîche for that amount, 1 teaspoon per cup. Serve these with cocktails and pre-dinner drinks, or as part of a buffet. The cucumber cups and crème fraîche can be prepared beforehand, but these should only be assembled 1 hour before serving (at the most) and covered in cling film to ensure the smoked salmon does not dry out. Allow 2 to 4 per person, depending on what else is served.
Directions
| Step 1 | Cut the cucumber into 1 1/2 inch slices, and carefully hollow out the centre (with any seeds) with a pointed teaspoon, so you are left with a shallow hollow. |
| Step 2 | Mix the lemon zest and black pepper with the crème fraiche and adjust seasoning to taste, adding the black pepper bit by bit to ensure a favourable taste! (We like ours quite peppery!) I have not suggested salt as the smoked salmon is salty, but do add salt to taste if you wish. |
| Step 3 | Spoon a little seasoned crème fraiche into each cucumber cup, about 1 teaspoon per cup. |
| Step 4 | Cut the smoked salmon into 6-inch long strips and about 1/2 inch wide, and curl them around to make a little circle, then place the circle of smoked salmon on top of the crème fraiche. |
| Step 5 | Garnish with lemon slices if you wish, or with dill or parsley. Makes about 30 according to size of cucumber. |
| Step 6 | You can prepare the cucumber cups and crème fraiche several hours beforehand- cover them and store them in the fridge; assemble them just before you are ready to serve them. |
FABULOUS FISHY FEASTS (RECIPES) FROM LAVENDER AND LOVAGE
Smoked Salmon Tartine (Tartine au saumon fumé)
Hasty Tasty Baked Plaice with Chive Butter (Gluten Free)
Brandade de Morue, French Salt Cod and Potato Gratin
Bacalao Fritters – Salt Cod Fritters with Saffron and Pimenton
~ Marmite Ecossaise ~ Luxury Scottish Seafood Stew
Flaming Garlic & Whisky King Prawns
– Scottish Seafood Chowder – Cullen Skink my way…….with Smoked Whiting
Pan-Fried Sea Bass Fillets in a Pastis & Caper Butter Sauce served with Marsh Samphire
Scotch Rarebit with Smoked Haddock
Luxury Seafood Pancakes au Gratin
Smoked, Peppered Mackerel Pâté with Rye Bread Toasts
Pan-fried Scallops with Black Pudding and Warm Fennel Salad
Edwardian Fish Cakes with Wild and Smoked Haddock
Creamy Salmon and Orange Pasta with Mixed Herbs
Clementine and Honey Roast Salmon Salad with Wasabi Dressing
ALL LAVENDER AND LOVAGE FISH RECIPES:
Fiona Maclean says
oh my mum used to make these when I was a kid – or something very similar. I remember they were topped with lumpfish caviar which we thought was terribly decadent – and served up for her bridge evenings! Very hyacinth bouquet!
Karen Booth says
Thanks Fiona, I think these may be a throw back to the 60’s or 70’s, but I jazzed them up a bit with the peppered and lemon creme fraiche! Karen
Vanessa @ Cakes and Teacups says
Ohhhhh yummmm.. I love these I can devour that entire dish Karen. I’ve always been a big fan of salmon and capers together as well : )
Karen Booth says
Thanks Vanessa, capers as salmon is a great combo I agree! Merry Christmas! Karen
Dominic says
them cucumber cups is genius/gorgeous in the making!… love the idea… totally carb free and packed with taste… you are a bloody genius!… love smoked salmon and WILL be making these xx
Karen Booth says
Thanks Dom, tasty carb free treats for the festive period, no guilt! Merry Christmas! Karen
ashleigh says
These look great, might try these for new year!
Karen Booth says
They make great appetisers for Christmas and new year, so do let me know if you make them! Karen
Delphine says
I love smoked salmon 🙂 thank you for this article, I’ll try this recipe with pleasure!
Fiona Matters says
This is such a good idea – salmon, cream cheese and cucumber go so well together and being a coeliac eliminating the bread is a great idea!
Sara Hughes says
How very morish! I hadn’t thought of making cucumber the cups for filling – quicker than making blini too.
Karen Booth says
Low fat and gluten free too Sara!
Andrew Petrie says
Looks great,wish I’d known about this one before Christmas!
Jeremy Andrews says
These look so perfect for dinner parties.
Tracy Nixon says
Yummy!Shared via G+
Maya Russell says
Shared on Twitter as @maisietoo – https://twitter.com/maisietoo/status/325479451213316096
Lisa Williams says
These are so cute perfect for a diner party Thank you so much 🙂
Tracy Nixon says
Tweeted!
Tracy Nixon says
Re-tweeted today!
Tracy Nixon says
Shared on Facebook today!
Maya Russell says
Salmon wellington is one of my favourites. I like the poppy seeds on top.