Salmon, Yogurt, & Honey Tapas

I firmly believe that holiday snacks are the best part of holiday parties. I am a sucker for hors d'oeuvres and around the holidays everyone seems to up their snack game. The thing is, while little onion tarts with gorgonzola and walnuts and terrine of pork, smoked bacon and cranberries sound insane, I am not particularly good and anything involving focus or paying close attention to detail. 

So I need my holiday snacks to be both fancy and super easy to make, which is why these little toasts are great. Pop open a bottle of sparking wine or a real nice craft brew and pass around a plate of these smoked salmon snacks and no one will complain. 

This is a traditional tapas but a little less common this side of the pond. I recommend using the thickest, fullest of fat yogurt you can find (because you don't want it dripping off the toast). I'd also invest in some nice wild salmon and raw honey, you won't regret the amazing flavors plus it's the perfect season to splurge. 

Steps

Slice and toast the baguette. Wait for the toast to cool slightly and gently spread a dollop of yogurt onto each toast. 

Top with slice of smoked salmon and drizzle lightly with honey. Season with lots of black pepper and a dash of salt. 

Stuff

baguette 

smoked salmon

greek yogurt

honey

salt & pepper

Salmon and Sweet Potato Fishcakes

Okay... so this recipe involves canned fish... it's not the most glamorous ingredient but, hey, it's cheap and easy. You could totally use salmon filets for this, but on a week night it's just so quick to open a can of salmon and mix it in with all the other stuff. Try it and you won't regret it. This recipe is simple, rich, and very satisfying (it's also totally stolen, ht Cheep Beets).

I'd never used canned salmon before I stumbled upon this recipe. Tuna, sure, sardines and anchovies, yes... but salmon? The first time I opened the can and looked down and the pink grey smoosh I wasn't sure anything good was going to come of it. Turns out 'don't knock it 'til you've tried it' was the right attitude here, it tastes great all fried and mixed with sweet potato mash (I mean, it would be hard to find something that didn't). 

So this is now a regular week night dinner. It's so comforting on cool autumnal nights with a light side salad and a glass of wine or a nice IPA. It would almost be a fancy meal if my roommate and I didn't eat it in front of the TV catching up on Nashville. 

Fall food really is my favorite and the first lot of sweet potatoes came in our CSA last week, so I'm getting ready to cook these on repeat for the next few months. 

Stuff

1 can of salmon

2 sweet potatoes

scallions

juice from 1 lemon

1 egg

1/4 cup breadcrumbs

good pinch of paprika 

canola oil 

salt & pepper

plain yogurt to dip

parsley and lemon wedge to garnish

Steps

Peel and chop the sweet potatoes. Boil until tender, approx. 15 mins. Once cooked, mash. 

Slice the scallions and add the scallions, salmon, lemon juice, breadcrumbs, and paprika to the potato mash. Mix together, taste, and season. 

Stir the egg into the mixture and form patties about 2" by 1/4".

Heat a thin layer of canola oil in a frying pan on a low medium heat. Drop the patties (maybe 3 at a time) into the pan. Cook without touching for about 3 minutes, flip, and cook on the reverse side for another 2 or 3 minutes. Add more oil or adjust the heat if necessary. 

Serve with yogurt dip and a lemon wedge, garnish with parsley.  

Smoked Salmon Pita Pocket

I'm on a sandwich kick at the moment. There's just something so satisfying about looking in the fridge at the end of a long day and saying, 'fuck it, I'm having a sandwich for dinner.' In addition to my goat cheese addiction, I also have a salmon obsession and a weird need to eat green leaves with most of my meals--so I tend to keep those things in the fridge. I also eat a bag of lemons every week. 

The point is, this sandwich came about because it combines all my favorite foods in a delightful (classy, even?) pita pocket. I eat it for lunch almost every Saturday and it goes down a treat with a midday glass of wine and a handful of kettle chips. 

No one really needs a recipe for a sandwich, but I wrote one anyway. YOU'RE WELCOME WORLD. 

Stuff

pita bread

smoked salmon

goat cheese

cucumber slices

arugula

mustard

lemon wedge

salt & pepper

Steps

Cut the pita in half and toast each half. Cut open each half and spread one side with goat cheese and the other side with mustard. Layer in the salmon, cucumber, and arugula. Squeeze the lemon wedge over everything and season with salt and pepper. 

Enjoy with some chips and a glass of white wine.