Smoked Salmon Tapenade in Cucumber Cups

Smoked Salmon Tapenade in Cucumber Cups

Smoked salmon with cream cheese on bagels used to be one of my favorite comfort foods. Knowing how caloric that little sandwich is, I decided to remove the bread and rework my favorite flavors into an adorable and addictive appetizer with some healthy twist to it. The creamy smoked salmon in this recipe pairs perfectly with the refreshing cucumber cups. More than just being delicious, this presentation is both easy and a crowdpleaser.

Makes 30 Cucumber Cups

Ingredients

4 ounce pack of Norwegian smoked salmon

3/4 cup of plain cream cheese

1/4 cup of light sour cream

Juice of 1/4 lemon

1/2 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

3 cucumbers peeled

Sprigs of dill for garnish

Method

In a food processor combine the smoked salmon, cream cheese, sour cream, lemon juice and pepper. Process the mixture until smooth; place in a bowl covering with plastic wrap and refrigerate while assembling cucumber cups.

Slice cucumbers into 3/4 inch pieces. Using a small melon-baller, hollow out the center of the cucumber chunks to create a bowl effect. Spoon the salmon mixture into cucumber cups and garnish with dill. Refrigerate 15 minutes before serving.

***Smoked salmon tapenade can be made 2-3 days in advance, kept tightly sealed in a clean container and assembled 1 hour before serving; cucumbers must be freshly assembled or will become watery.