Smoked Salmon and cucumber Rolls

As a road test for the Christmas dinner party being held New Year's night (C.D.N.Y.N) I made a new appetizer last night for Mom and S.D. to try out.  S.D. and I love smoked fish, particularly, for me at least, smoked Salmon, preferably, when available, Scottish smoked salmon.  Sadly all that I could find was some Coho smoked salmon from a lovely company in Maine called Duck Trap.  I made a small quantity of these for an appetizer to dinner last night and S.D. has required all other appetizers be banished from C.D.N.Y.N and that I simply make him dozens of these.  he also thinks they would be lovely with a bit of wasabi and soy for dipping as they are a bit like cucumber rolls without of course the Nori or the rice..  I think they are just fine on their own.  Adapted from the November Gourmet.

Smoked Salmon and Cucumber Rolls

4 oz cream cheese (softened)
2 TSP horseradish, drained
1/4 cup chopped chive
salt
pepper

Mix all ingredients together and let rest in the fridge for an hour or two (can be made the day before).  Allow to soften before continuing.

1 English hothouse cucumber -  cut in approx 4" length, peeled and then quartered.  Slice out the seeds as well.  You will have what looks like a pickle spear at this point.
1 pd. Smoked salmon, sliced thin
plastic wrap.

Lay enough pieces of salmon on the plastic wrap to cover a length of cucumber spear.  Spread on a thin layer of the cream cheese mixture.  Lay on a cucumber spear.  Using the plastic wrap to assist, roll up the salmon and cucumber into a cylinder.  At this point they can go back in the fridge wrapped tightly in the plastic wrap until ready.

When you want to serve, unwrap and slice across in 1/2 to 3/4" rounds.

Comments

[Maven]

A great source (mail order) for smoked salmon is Kasilof Fish Company. They have some rather interesting products and the quality is stellar:
http://www.kasilof.com/