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Smoked Salmon with Herbed Crème Fraîche

Source of Recipe

From "Sunday Brunch" by Betty Rosbottom


Recipe Introduction

"This side dish requires no cooking at all. You simply arrange slices of smoked salmon on a platter, and scatter some sliced red onion over the fish. Accompaniments include a bowl of crème fraîche scented with lemon, chives, and tarragon and a basket of good dark bread."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ ¾ cup crème fraîche
â—¦ ¾ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
â—¦ ½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
â—¦ 10 to 12 ounces thinly sliced smoked salmon
â—¦ ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion (1 small onion, halved lengthwise and sliced)
â—¦ Freshly ground black pepper
â—¦ 1 ½ teaspoons finely chopped fresh chives
â—¦ 1 ½ teaspoons finely chopped fresh tarragon
â—¦ Crusty whole-wheat, multigrain, or peasant loaf made with whole-wheat flour, sliced, each slice quartered


Recipe

In a small serving bowl, whisk together the crème fraîche, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour. (The herbed crème fraîche can be made one day ahead; cover and refrigerate.)

Arrange overlapping salmon slices on a platter. Sprinkle the onion slices over the fish and season generously with several grinds of black pepper. (The salmon can be prepared 4 hours ahead; cover and refrigerate.)

Stir 1 teaspoon of the chives and 1 teaspoon of the tarragon into the crème fraîche mixture; sprinkle the remaining herbs over the top of the crème fraîche. Arrange the bread in a napkin-lined basket. Serve the salmon on bread slices garnished with a generous dollop of crème fraîche.

Serves 6 to 8