The easiest way to feed a group in a casual setting is to create a charcuterie board filled with cheeses and deli meats, or a colorful crudite platter with different dips. However, if you have exhausted those ideas and recipes, or maybe you are looking for something more elevated, try out this smoked salmon board with great sides and all the elements you need to satisfy everyone’s palette.
Ingredients:
Smoked salmon
Cucumber
Cherry tomatoes
Red onions
Olives (green or black)
Avocado
Arugula
Dill
Arugula
Lemons
Cream cheese
Butter
Capers
Bagels or a French baguette
Directions:
Make sure your smoked salmon is sliced thinly before placing it on the tray or board. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half, and slice the cucumber and red onion into fairly thin rounds. Slice the avocado as you would if you were to place it onto a piece of toast. Slice the lemon into wedges as well.
Once Everything has been sliced and prepared, place a piece of wax paper on your wooden board, tray, or platter. Place your smoked salmon in the middle of the board and surround it with the sliced vegetables, olives, and lemon wedges. Make sure to leave space for two small dipping bowls for the condiments.
For the condiments, take some cream cheese and place it into a small dipping bowl. Keep it plain or season it with your choice of herbs and spices.
For the butter, let it come to room temperature then add it into another bowl. You may also season the butter with herbs and spices if you would like extra flavor.
For the bread, if you are doing bagels, cut them in half first then toast it before adding to the board. If you are using a baguette, slice it into rounds at an angle and toast before serving.
Add the two bowls of condiments to the board. Make sure it’s snug and surrounded by vegetables and other items to stop it from moving so much when people go to take some.
Lastly, for garnish, add arugula leaves and sprigs of dill in the open spaces and gaps to add some greenery and to make the board look fuller. Add a few capers on top of the smoked salmon to garnish and then serve.
Notes:
If you are serving people with different dietary requirements, you may add deli meats to the platter. Just make sure it’s not placed directly beside the salmon so that the flavors do not mix. Add the meats to the outer edge of the setup and separate the meat and salmon using vegetables and pieces of bread or crackers.
You may opt to change the vegetables and garnish depending on the season or what produce is available to you. Other options for pairings are pickles, pickled onions, thinly sliced radish, any tomato sliced into rounds, and boiled eggs sliced into rounds as well.
For the condiments, you may replace it with your choice of dairy or dips. Some other options include cottage cheese, hummus, or any creamy type of cheese that is easily spreadable. For seasoning your dips you may use herbs such as finely chopped dill, cilantro, or mint. You may also add some everything-bagel seasoning and mix it into your choice of condiment. Just make sure to keep in mind the different flavors that will be on the board. Try to keep everything complementary to each other. In a pinch you may add some chopped capers and a squeeze of lemon to plain cream cheese or cottage cheese to add a burst of flavor that will pair well with the salmon.
The herbs and greens for garnish may be difficult to find depending where you live and what season it is. If you can’t find arugula or dill, you may use any microgreens or even lettuce or kale to fill in the gaps of the board.
When it comes to the bread, you can pick pretty much any bread you like. Just toast it if you want the contrast of the crunch to the softness of the condiments and the salmon. Sourdough or even melba toast or your choice of plain crackers can be added to this spread.
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