Smoked Salmon Cucumber Rolls

Ingredients

• 1 medium English cucumber, seedless

• 3 small Lebanese cucumbers, seedless

• 125 g light cream cheese

• 175 g fat-free plain Greek yogurt

• 2 tsp capers

• 1/2 tsp lemon zest

• 1/2 tspMeaux mustard (or wholegrain)

• 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

• 350 g smoked salmon, torn into roughly 1.5” pcs

Garnish options

• Balsamic pearls

• capers

• lemon zest

• fresh herbs such as dill, fennel, parsley or chives

Method

Add cream cheese and yogurt to the bowl of a small food processor and process until well combined and smooth and creamy. Add capers, lemon zest, mustard and black pepper and process for a few seconds until capers are broken down and well incorporated.

Transfer to the refrigerator to chill for about an hour.

For the cucumber rolls

Remove the ends of a medium English cucumber and slice it lengthwise, as thinly as you possibly can. The use of a mandolin is strongly recommended here for the thinner your slices are, the better the rolls will hold.

Roll the cucumber slices onto themselves to form 24 rolls and set them onto paper towels to absorb excess moisture (if needed, secure rolls with a toothpick).

To make the mini bites, cut off the ends of 3 small Lebanese cucumbers and cut each of the cucumbers into 4 equal cylinders.

With the help of a small melon baller, carefully scoop out the seeds of each cylinder. You want to remove most of the flesh but make sure you leave some at the bottom and be extra careful not to break the skin.

Set those on the paper towels with the rolls.

Delicately stuff little pieces of smoked salmon at the bottom of the cucumber rolls. Make sure the pieces fit tightly enough to hold inside the rolls when your guests lift them up.

Scoop the cheese mixture into a pastry bag equipped with a medium round tip and fill the rolls or bites with that mixture all the way to the top. If you don’t have a pastry bag, you could also use a Ziploc type plastic bag and snip one of the corners off.

Top each little cucumber bite with a piece of smoked salmon and garnish as desired.

Keep refrigerated until ready to serve; transfer the rolls to a serving plate at the last minute for the cucumber might continue to release some moisture.

Recipe: Cara’s Cravings