Smoked Salmon Canapes
Submitted by jartayla
Smoked salmon canapes on crisp jicama triangles with lime-spiked Neufchatel cheese and cracked black pepper. A light, no-cook appetizer that looks like it came from a caterer.
YIELD
36 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
20 minREADY
20 minForget crackers and bread rounds. These smoked salmon canapes use thin triangles of raw jicama as the base, giving you a cool, crunchy bite that won’t go soggy on the appetizer table. The cheese mixture is Neufchatel (lighter than cream cheese) whipped with lime zest, Worcestershire, and onion powder, then piped or spooned onto each triangle and topped with a strip of silky smoked salmon.
The lime does triple duty in this recipe. Zest goes into the cheese for fragrance, a wedge is rubbed along the edge of each jicama triangle for brightness, and that lime-rubbed edge gets dipped in coarsely ground black pepper for a sharp, peppery bite. Every component has a purpose.
Slice the jicama evenly at ¼ inch thick. Too thin and it cracks, too thick and it overwhelms the delicate salmon. A sharp chef’s knife or mandoline gives you the most consistent cuts.
These come together in about 20 minutes and hold well on a platter for an hour or two, making them ideal for holiday parties or cocktail hours where you need something impressive without hovering over a stove.
Pro Tips
- Pipe the cheese with a star tip for a polished, catered look. A zip-top bag with a corner snipped works in a pinch.
- Pat the jicama dry after cutting so the cheese adheres. Wet jicama makes the topping slide off.
- Use wild-caught smoked salmon for the best flavor and texture. Thin-sliced lox-style works best here.
Variations
- Cucumber base: Swap jicama for thick cucumber rounds if you can’t find jicama.
- Dill twist: Add 1 teaspoon of chopped fresh dill to the cheese mixture for a more classic Scandinavian profile.
- Everything bagel version: Replace the black pepper dip with everything bagel seasoning for a fun brunch appetizer.
Ingredients
Directions
Combine cheese, lime rind, onion powder and worcestershire sauce in a small mixing bowl; beat at medium speed of an electric mixture until smooth. Set aside.
Cut jicama into ¼ in. thick slices; cut slices into 18 2 inch squares.
Cut each square in half diagonally to make 36 triangles. Discard remaining jicama.
Rub the longest side of each triangle with a lime wedge.
Dip side of triangle in pepper.
Repeat procedure with remaining triangles.
Pipe or spoon aobut 1 teaspoon cheese mixture onto each triangle. Top with a salmon strip.
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