Smoked Salmon Tartare

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

• Smoked salmon: Look for thinly sliced, cold-smoked salmon (lox-style), which has a silky texture and rich, smoky flavor.
• Lemon zest: Adds bright, citrusy flavor that complements the richness of the salmon without adding extra liquid.
• Shallots: Their delicate onion flavor is perfect here, adding a little sharpness without overpowering the salmon.
• White pepper: A wonderful way to add subtle heat without the black flecks of black pepper.

Toppings:

• Sour cream: A little dollop adds a delicious creamy contrast to the smoky salmon. Crème fraîche or thick Greek yogurt are great substitutes.
• Chives: Fresh chives add a mild oniony flavor and a pretty pop of green. If you can't find them, finely chopped scallion greens work well, or even a little parsley for color.

How To Make Smoked Salmon Tartare

• To chop the smoked salmon, place the whole slab of pre-sliced smoked salmon on the cutting board and ignore the fact that it's pre-sliced.  Just slice it very thinly in one direction. Then slice it very thinly cross-wise. That gives you a fine dice.
• Add the zest of one lemon, a tablespoon of very finely minced shallot, and some pepper.  That's it!
• Scoop some salmon tartare onto crackers or cucumber rounds and top with sour cream and chives.

Make-Ahead Tips

You can prepare the smoked salmon tartare a few hours ahead and keep it covered in the refrigerator. Chop the chives and slice the cucumber ahead of time, too. Wrap them separately in paper towels, tuck them into airtight containers or zip-top bags, and refrigerate until ready to use.

Assemble the smoked salmon appetizers shortly before serving so the crackers stay crisp and the cucumber rounds are fresh and crunchy.

Serving Suggestions

When I serve this appetizer at a party, I usually assemble about a dozen on a platter and put the rest of the salmon tartare in a small bowl, surrounded by crackers, cucumber rounds, sour cream and chives. That way, guests can make their own.

It's a fun, casual way to serve these, and it saves me from having to assemble dozens of individual appetizers.

Here's the smoked salmon tartare recipe. If you make it, I hope you'll come back and leave a star rating and a comment. I'd love to know what you think!

Smoked Salmon Tartare Recipe

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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 7 reviews

• Author: Lisa Goldfinger
• Total Time: 10 mins
• Yield: 40-45 Pieces 1x

Print Recipe

Description

This simple, elegant smoked salmon tartare takes just 10 minutes to prepare and always gets rave reviews. Serve it with cucumber rounds, crackers, sour cream and chives for a beautiful party appetizer. Allow a little extra time if you're assembling individual appetizers for a crowd.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 8 ounces packaged smoked salmon, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon finely minced shallot (1 medium shallot)
• The zest of one lemon (about 1 teaspoon lemon zest)
• 1 pinch or two of white pepper (or substitute freshly ground black pepper)
• 1 pack of sesame rice crackers (40 or so)
• 1 hothouse cucumber cut into ¼-inch rounds
• 1 bunch of fresh chives, finely chopped
• ½ cup sour cream

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Instructions

1. In a small bowl, mix the chopped salmon, shallot, lemon zest and pepper.
2. Scoop about 1 scant teaspoon of salmon tartare onto crackers or cucumber rounds or both. Top with a dollop of sour cream and a pinch of fresh chives. Arrange on a platter and serve.
3. Alternatively, arrange the salmon tartare in a small bowl surrounded by crackers, cucumber rounds, sour cream and chives, and let guests assemble their own appetizers. I like to assemble a few in advance so everyone can see how it's done.

Notes

Make Ahead: Prepare the smoked salmon tartare up to a few hours ahead and keep it covered in the refrigerator. Chop the chives and slice the cucumber ahead of time, too. Wrap them separately in paper towels, tuck them into airtight containers or zip-top bags, and refrigerate until ready to use. Assemble the appetizers shortly before serving so the crackers stay crisp and the cucumber rounds stay fresh and crunchy.

• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Category: Appetizer
• Method: No Cook
• Cuisine: American