Cucumber and Smoked Salmon Bites

Only three words are needed to describe this hors d’oeuvre – simple, elegant and delicious. Perfect for any holiday party.

Dec 20, 2022

With holiday parties in full swing, I decided to finish out the year with a couple of appetizer recipes. Cucumber and Smoked Salmon Bites for today and White Pizza Palmiers next week.

The herbed sour cream and cheese mixture that tops each cucumber slice in this recipe features cream cheese. Cream cheese is a soft, unripened or fresh cheese made from cow’s milk. This spreadable cheese has a smooth, creamy texture and mildly tangy flavor.

A New York dairy farmer named William Lawrence is credited with inventing what we know as cream cheese in 1872. He added cream to a cheese that originated in France called Neufchatel (pronounced new-shuh-tell). French Neufchatel has somewhat of a grainy texture and is slightly less rich than American cream cheese. Interestingly, American consumers will find the word Neufchatel on packages of 1/3 less fat cream cheese.

I like using this reduced-fat version of cream cheese because it contains fewer calories and less saturated fat than regular, full-fat cream cheese. And, when it comes to taste and texture, I find the Philadelphia brand of Neufchatel indistinguishable from full-fat cream cheese.

One of the great things about this recipe is its versatility when it comes to the toppings. Although I used smoked salmon and fresh dill, you can top these bites with anything you like. Thinly sliced red onion and capers, red bell pepper pieces and minced chives, or cherry tomato slices and dill – the possibilities are endless. Another nice feature about this appetizer is that it provides partygoers looking for a low carb treat something to enjoy.

Topping possibilities for this hors d'oeuvre are endless.

Let me wrap things up by sharing two important tips when making this hors d’oeuvre. First, be sure to give the herbed cream cheese mixture a couple of hours in the refrigerator before assembling the bites. This allows the chives, fresh dill, garlic, and lemon juice to really flavor the cream cheese.

Tip number two involves using paper towel to pat dry the cucumber slices. This will help the herbed cream cheese adhere to the top of the cucumber slice rather than sliding off onto the serving platter.

To your health,

Darlene

CUCUMBER and SMOKED SALMON BITES

Yield: 16 servings

Serving Size: 2 cucumber bites

Prep: 10 minutes

Ready: 20 minutes (not including marinating time)

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup (6 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese (1/3 less fat cream cheese), softened
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1 teaspoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh minced chives
1 teaspoon fresh minced dill
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
1 large English (seedless) cucumber
4 ounces thinly sliced smoked salmon
4 to 5 fresh dill sprigs for garnish

DIRECTIONS

In a bowl, stir together cream cheese, sour cream, lemon juice, chives, dill, salt, and granulated garlic. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
When ready to assemble cucumber bites, using a knife or mandoline, slice cleaned, unpeeled cucumber into 32, 1/4-inch slices. Pat cucumber slices dry with paper towel. Lay out cucumber slices on a serving platter and top each slice with about 1 teaspoon herbed cream cheese mixture.
Cut smoked salmon into 1 1/2-inch strips. Fold or ripple strips of salmon and place on top of herbed cream cheese. Garnish with dill sprigs and serve.

Nutrition Information per Serving

42 Calories, 3 g Total fat, 2 g Saturated fat, 0 g Trans fat, 11 mg Cholesterol, 125 mg Sodium, 1 g Total carbohydrate, 0 g Dietary fiber, 1 g Total sugars, 0 g Added sugars, 2 g Protein, 1 mcg (6%) Vitamin D, 20 mg (2%) Calcium, 0 mg (0%) Iron, 41 mg (0%) Potassium