Friday, March 31, 2006

CAVIAR & SMOKED SALMON

Elegant Touches

I love adding the Elegant Touch whenever possible, so when a simple snack or entrée can use a hint of salt, I consider using Caviar or Smoked Salmon. Excessive? No. Expensive? Yes… or maybe not. Because Caviar is briny and Smoked Salmon is cured, each can stand up to refrigeration and can be use in small amounts over an extended time. By using in this way, the expense is spread out over several servings and becomes relatively inexpensive. A vinegary substitute would be capers. I also love adding capers as garnishes on egg dishes.


Serving Suggestions

Boiled new potatoes with a portion of sour cream and Caviar
Soft-boiled eggs topped with Caviar
Hard-boiled eggs topped with Caviar
Radishes topped with Caviar (better as condiment buffet rather than made-ahead appetizer)
Pasta topped with Alfredo Sauce and Caviar

Asparagus wrapped in Smoked Salmon
Sliced bread with cream cheese and Smoked Salmon
Smoked Salmon atop open-faced sandwich (you are only limited by your imagination)
Cornbread topped with Smoked Salmon (also try with jalepeño cornbread)
Broccoli and cheese omelet topped with Smoked Salmon
Scrambled eggs with Smoked Salmon
Slice of Quiche Lorraine topped with Smoked Salmon
Artichoke hearts with Smoked Salmon


Preparations and Storage

Be sure to keep Caviar icy cold and never handle with silver. The silver will affect the taste of the caviar and cause tarnishing of the utensil. It’s fine to use plastic or stainless steel, but if you find that Caviar is to your liking, it would be well worth your time to find a Caviar Spoon made of bone, horn, or mother-of-pearl.

Smoked Salmon may be portioned out into smaller sections or kept in original packaging if resealable. I often will double the resealable packaging to minimize absorption of refrigerator odors.

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