Smoked salmon ideas - no cheese

[ScarletB]

Hello,
I love smoked salmon and am always looking for meals with good protein since I seem to be lacking in that area. Problem is that I can't think of what else to do with smoked salmon other than tossed with pasta and with eggs (fritatta, scramble, etc). Any suggestions are most appreciated! I am lactose intolerant so would prefer ideas without cheese, which is another problem as it seems cheese and smoked salmon make a nice pair.
Thanks in advance!

[ursy_ten]

Smoked salmon stack with avocado and prawns
http://www.goodrecipes.com.au/index.p...

As for tofu cream cheese, I quite like it! I'm not sure how it would go in a baked cheesecake, but in savoury things, it's fine :

)

You could also substitute a bit of mayo for cream in recipes, so long as it wasn't a lot - for example, if it was like a garnish or something - just a blob on top, I think it would be fine.

[eclecticsynergy]

Here's a good one- Smoked Salmon And Potato Wonton Pierogies

http://www.foodbuzz.com/blogs/3451087...

[scubadoo97]

When I hot smoke salmon I always smoke extra for smoked fish spread. I often use cream cheese and mayo as the binder but you could certainly leave out the cream cheese.

[armagnac]

Take 3 slices of dark brown whole wheat or multigrain bread, 1/4" thick, preferably with a finer crumb than pumpernickel. Butter the bread and add thinly sliced smoked salmon, assembling into a triple-decker sandwich. Trim off the crust and cut in halves or quarters. This is one of the sandwiches offered at intermissions of the New York Philharmonic concerts at Avery Fisher Hall. I often skip dinner and have one of these instead - delicious and satisfying.

[perk]

There was a really good recipe in a recent Bon Appetit. (the one with the pancetta, asparagus pasta on the cover.) It had salt & pepper kettle chips, smoked salmon, creme fraiche with lemon zest, and chives as appetizers. Very simple...but really good. I served it with champagne and it was really fun.

[Stuffed Monkey]

I like smoked salmon with egg salad. Great as sandwich on a bagel and a nice change from Touffi "cream" cheese. How about in or on Deviled Eggs. Also a LEO omelet; lox, eggs and (carmelized) onions?

[hotoynoodle]

thin sliced smoked salmon over cantaloupe with mint, olive oil and cracked black pepper makes a great summer app.

it's also great in a salad with watercress and walnuts.

[ScarletB]

I'm loving all these inventive ideas and combinations. Smoked salmon with cantaloupe - sounds great!

[lexpatti]

salmon cakes or salmon loaf is always very nice too. I don't use any cheese in mine, just an egg or two to bind. Lately I've been doing mini muffin tins with salmon cake mix - a nice lemon aoili.

[ScarletB]

lexpatti, do you have a recipe for either of the salmon cakes or salmon loaf using smoked salmon? They both sound very good and interesting. I can do a search but if you have a tried-n-true I'd love to give it a shot. Thanks in advance!

[lexpatti]

I'm not one for measuring but here goes for ingredients:
smoked salmon, bread crumbs or crushed crackers, fresh lemon juice, diced red onion, fresh dill, capers - egg or two to bind. You can use a loaf pan or mini muffin tins (which takes less time in the oven - I'm guessing at maybe 20 min. 325-350).

enjoy - I love a good lemony creamy dressing or lemon aoili (mayo, lemon juice and dill).

[ScarletB]

I am so going to make these. I love this idea. I'm a huge fan of crab cakes and this is similar and can easily be made in to a meal. I guess I didn't make really clear in the original post that I was hoping for meal ideas more than just a snack or appetizer. Hence the eggs and pasta mentions.

A couple more questions on these lexpatti, if you don't mind: do they freeze and thaw well (and how to thaw, if you've done it), and how long would they keep for unfrozen and reheated? Thanks again!

[lexpatti]

Hmmm, I actually had some frozen ones for lunch today. They were almost defrosted by the time I wanted to eat them (maybe 2 1/2 hours) but I popped in the microwave for 35 seconds just to warm them. I just ate them plain and loved em, although my biz smelt a little fishy.

Not sure on how long they would last if not frozen, maybe a few days. I always freeze them for a quick lunch pack or dinner.

[lexpatti]

do you do soy cream cheese because if you do, this dish went over really well - it's layered with cream cheese as several of the layers (mixed with lemon and dill) - check out the pic (it was sooooo good)

[ScarletB]

Wow, that looks beautiful. Might make a dairy foray worth it some day.
I've never tried soy cream cheese but I suppose I can give it a shot. I don't know why I'm so hesitant about it.

[lexpatti]

I could eat an entire of meal of just this. you can see the layers are 3 of the cream cheese mix, one of must salmon with lil lemon and dill, and one of red onions mixed with capers, lemon juice.

You just line a cute small bowl w/ syran wrap, putting your first layer of cream cheese, then the onions/capers, then cheese, then salmon then cheese. Put in the fridge and when ready, just invert the bowl onto a cute plate, using the wrap to help you unmold it.

Have fun, lots of great suggestions on here, thanks, I love salmon too so I'm anxious to do some of these.

[critter101]

A nice appetizer is chopped smoked salmon mixed with a bit of finely diced red onion, capers, chopped fresh dill, and a bit of fresh lemon juice. This can be served on sliced English cucumbers or small bread slices - dill or pumpernickel.

[Northforker]

Take your ingredients and add baby spinach, then put it in an omelet.

[zzDan]

BLT sandwich with smoked salmon
Boar's Head Black Forest ham is nice and dry. It should go together with smoked salmon in a sandwich. Lettuce and tomato in the sandwich and two hard boiled eggs on the side with capers and olives

Mustard, mayonnaise are other options

[Quine]

OOOOOH Nice idea! I would add thin sliced onion (a mild one) as I like that pairing with lox. Nice, very nice.

[ScarletB]

Wow, zzDan, this sounds fantastic. I also like the cucumber sandwich idea above from epabella. Makes it more meal like for some reason. Never would have thought of ham and smoked salmon together. Very nice.

[gordeaux]

Maki

[epabella]

this is so old yet i still like: make open faced sandwiches with toasted sliced bread (best if you trim off crust). layer with thin cucumber slices doused in lemon juice and top with salmon and quarter into four bite size sections. a variation would be to topping crackers with salmon mousse.

[shaogo]

Thin cucumber slices, salted and drained, are definitely a great match for thinly-sliced smoked salmon. Pass the fresh dill.

A very thick egg-yolk-rich mayonnaise will satisfy that need for "richness" that your lactose intolerance sadly prohibits from you getting from any sort of dairy cream/cheese.

Use the smoked salmon with a salad made from Vidalia onions, grilled red bell peppers, salt & sugar and some good vinegar...

[roxlet]

My husband makes a potato and smoked salmon starter that is absolutely delicious. His dressing is made with sour cream, but it might be possible to adapt a more vinaigrette type of dressing to this salad. A mustard dressing might also be good with onions and capers.

[Ze German]

"Salmon Fillet with Smoked Salmon and Horseradish Crust" - salmon topped with salmon, won't get any better than that! See http://foodatista.blogspot.com/2006/0... or "The Professional Chef" if you own that book.

[Fleur]

I love to serve Smoked Salmon as a first course. Ditto for Gravlax.

Buy the best quality Smoked Salmon you can find, sliced paper thin. Zabar's and Fairway have an excellent selection. Buy from a purveyor that allows tasting before you buy. Always taste before you buy. Every side of Salmon, from every different provenance tastes different.

Serve the same day if possible. One a round plate, place slices in a wheel shape. They should be thin enough so that the plate shows through. 1-1.5 ounces per person. Drizzle with excellent quality EVOO and grind black pepper over the plate. Serve lemon wedges on the side.

For Gravlax, serve with a Dill/Mustard Sauce on the side, with plenty of Fresh Dill and lemon wedges on the side.

[goodhealthgourmet]

you're not playing fair with that Zabar's tease...some of us (myself and the OP included) are on the opposite coast! ;)

[ScarletB]

Wish I could "like" this like on Facebook. Yes, no Zabar's. Although I now live closer to LA and could probably find some fabulous deli like Brent's for my Jewish deli needs.
However, I am generally referring to smoked salmon that's not the cold-smoked style like lox, but rather the hot-smoked style. I hope I have that difference correct.

[goodhealthgourmet]

go to Barney Greengrass in BH to satisfy your East Coast smoked fish cravings. it's not *quite* the same, but it's the closest you'll get. (just be forewarned that the prices are steep.)

[Indirect Heat]

I loved smoked salmon too much to do anything other than pile it on to a cracker with a couple capers. Plain old smoked salmon is more delightful to me than just about anything.

[lexpatti]

Me too! My fav is a lil sour dough round bread, salmon, red onion, capers and fresh squeezed lemon - granted I usually do cream cheese but really doesn't change it much. How about some tofu cream cheese - I've done that before and enjoyed when I was going dairy free (choice).

[chef chicklet]

dijon mustard is good with this, oh and chives if you want to switch out the red onion.

[lexpatti]

very nice, haven't tried w mustrd except to cook a filet and use dijon as rub

[Indirect Heat]

Chives, yes, chives. I do that also. Gonna have to go get me some smoked salmon.

[ScarletB]

I love the dijon mustard idea. That way there's some more moisture in there without a dairy product. I guess I was thinking of more substantial meal type ideas, but piled on crackers or bread rounds with some lemon, onion and chives sounds great.
I've never tried the tofu cream cheese - is it any good?

[chef chicklet]

I don't feel the need to add something cheesey to smoked salmon. I find the taste of so fresh, and delicious, just perfect for an appetizer of sandwich. I love open face sandwiches made with smoked salmon, a little dijon, tomaotes, chives, and black pepper- lots and lots.

My Dad would bring us smoked salmon when he was living in Olympia. He would smoke it, and jar it. It was excellent excellent excellent, addictive like eating candy and so fresh. It is different than the thinly sliced pieces we get in the markets, none the less, its all good. One of my things to do soon, is to make gravlax, the cold cured salmon in dill and salt. Gosh, I'm hungry just thinking about it...it's truly the best on soft scrambled eggs. Or in a quiche, it rocks.

[chowser]

Oh, on scrambled eggs...There's a breakfast place that does the Oops. It's one of the best things on the menu:

The Oops!
Lox eggs, onion & Matzo Brei
It was an accident on our grill (that turned into Something great!)

[chowser]

Smoked salmon is great in deviled eggs w/ capers. Along those lines you could do a smoked salmon and egg salad sandwich.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/in...

[goodhealthgourmet]

i searched Epicurious for smoked salmon recipes excluding dairy, and it turned up 28 results. hopefully you'll see a few you like:
http://www.epicurious.com/tools/searc...

[LulusMom]

I didn't see the one I love from epicurious on that list, oddly enough, but it is a very easy smoked salmon hash. You use a bag of frozen hash browns, which some might consider cheating, but it certainly cuts down on chopping time. Onion, capers, the salmon, potatoes, maybe one or two other things. They serve theirs with a dollop of sour cream, but I'm sure you could do without. Delicious.

[goodhealthgourmet]

"They serve theirs with a dollop of sour cream,"
~~~~~
i'll bet that's why it wasn't on the list. per the OP's request, my search excluded dairy. i wonder if any other gems were overlooked due to easily removable garnishes...?

[ScarletB]

There are some great suggestions in there. I especially like: Smoked Salmon Bruschetta with Tomato-Avocado Salsa and Smoked Salmon with Egg Salad and Green Beans, although I haven't gone through all of the recipes yet. Great idea goodhealthgourmet, thanks!