Smoked Salmon Torta Recipes

SMOKED SALMON CAKE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine eight ounce cream cheese, red onion, capers, dill, and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper, and stir until smooth. Lay four bread slices on a clean work surface; trim 1/4 inch from all sides of slices. Spread 1 tablespoon cream-cheese mixture on top of one slice, and layer with smoked salmon and cucumber (try not to overlap cucumber slices). Spread another thin layer of the cream-cheese mixture on top. Repeat with two more bread slices.
• Neatly stack prepared slices, filling side up, squaring the sides with your hands; top with the fourth bread slice. Repeat with remaining bread and filling to create three more stacks in this way.
• Transfer stacks to a serving platter with their long sides touching. In a small bowl, combine remaining 16 ounces cream cheese and creme fraiche until smooth. Using offset spatula, spread mixture evenly over assembled cake. Refrigerate, covered, two hours or overnight.
• Before serving, arrange overlapping cucumber slices around base of cake; spoon salmon roe and caviar along the top, and sprinkle with dill. Garnish the platter with lemon wedges.

SMOKED SALMON SPREAD

Steps:

• Cream the cheese in an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until just smooth. Add the sour cream, lemon juice, dill, horseradish, salt, and pepper, and mix. Add the smoked salmon and mix well. Chill and serve with crudites or crackers.
• If you can find it, I prefer Norwegian salmon; it's drier and less salty than other smoked salmon.

SMOKED-SALMON CRêPE TORTE

Steps:

• To prepare the crêpes, stir the whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, and salt together in a medium bowl. Whisk the milk, eggs, and melted butter together in a small bowl. Pour half of the milk mixture into the flour mixture and whisk until smooth. Add the remaining milk mixture and continue whisking until the batter is completely smooth. Strain the batter through a fine-mesh strainer. Let the batter rest for half an hour before cooking.
• Line a tray with parchment paper. Heat a crêpe pan or a 7-inch nonstick sauté pan or skillet over moderately high heat. Spray the pan lightly with cooking oil or brush with melted butter. Pour 1/4 cup of batter into the side of the pan and swirl to coat the bottom, forming a thin layer. Cook until bubbles appear on the surface of the crêpe and the edges begin to brown lightly. Flip the crêpe over using a spatula. Cook the second side for about 10 seconds and turn the crêpe onto the prepared tray to cool. Continue cooking crepes until all the batter is used. You should have 11 crêpes (see Note).
• To prepare the filling, in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment, process the cream cheese until smooth, about 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula and add the scallion, capers, lemon juice, milk, and salmon. Process for another 15 seconds, then scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula again. Blend for another 10 seconds or until the mixture looks fairly smooth. Divide the filling into 10 portions, each about 2 heaping tablespoons.
• Place a crêpe on a serving plate and spread one portion of filling completely and evenly over its surface with a metal offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Top with another crêpe and carefully spread another portion of filling on top, making sure you spread to the edges. Continue until all of the filling and the crêpes are stacked, ending with a plain crêpe on top. Cover the torte with plastic film and chill for at least 1/2 hour before slicing and serving.
• Cut the torte into small wedges with a sharp knife. Clean the knife between cuts to make a neat sliced appearance. Any remaining pieces of torte can be wrapped tightly with plastic film and stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

SMOKED SALMON TORTA

Steps:

• Beat together cream cheese and butter; add salt to taste.
• Line an 8x4-inch loaf pan with a piece of plastic wrap large enough to extend over edge of pan. Arrange dill sprigs on bottom.
• Carefully spread a third of the cheese mixture in the lined pan to make an even layer.
• Sprinkle with half the chopped dill and top with half the smoked salmon.
• Repeat layers, ending with cream cheese mixture.
• Press down lightly to compact layers.
• Cover and chill overnight.
• To serve, pull edges of plastic wrap to loosen torta; invert onto plate and carefully remove plastic wrap.
• Serve with bread and/or crackers.