Smoked Salmon Cucumber Rounds
These cucumber rounds are cool, crisp, and richly topped with creamy avocado and silky smoked salmon. Bright lemon, dill, and briny capers give each bite a fresh, elegant finish with almost no cooking required.
Ingredients
Cucumber base
- 1 large (about 300 g)cucumber, sliced into 1.5 cm rounds
Avocado cream
- 1 medium (about 150 g flesh)ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
- 15 mllemon juice
- 5 mlextra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp (about 4 g)fresh dill, finely chopped
- 1/4 tspsea salt
- 1/8 tspblack pepper
Topping and finish
- 100 gsmoked salmon, cut into bite-size ribbons
- 1 tbsp (about 15 g)capers, drained
- 2 tbsp (about 4 g)fresh dill sprigs
- 1/2 tsplemon zest
Instructions
- 1
Slice the cucumber into thick, even rounds about 1.5 cm wide and arrange them on a serving plate or board. Pat the tops dry with kitchen paper so the avocado cream adheres well.
- 2
In a small bowl, mash the avocado with the lemon juice and olive oil until mostly smooth. Stir in the chopped dill, sea salt, and black pepper. Mash just until creamy with a little texture; if it is too stiff, add a few extra drops of lemon juice.
- 3
Spoon or pipe a small mound of avocado cream onto each cucumber round. Keep the layer compact rather than spreading it to the edges so the topping stays neat and easy to eat.
- 4
Top each round with a ribbon of smoked salmon, then finish with a few capers, dill sprigs, and a light scattering of lemon zest. Serve immediately for the best texture and freshest flavor.
Nutrition per serving
Notes
- •For cleaner presentation, chill the smoked salmon for a few minutes before cutting; it will slice and fold more neatly.
- •If serving for a gathering, assemble the cucumber and avocado base up to 20 minutes ahead, then add the salmon and garnishes just before serving.
- •Choose a firm cucumber and a ripe but not overly soft avocado so the rounds stay sturdy.
- •These are best eaten fresh; the avocado cream will gradually darken if left standing too long.
Background
Smoked salmon canapés are a classic feature of American brunches and cocktail spreads, drawing on preservation traditions brought by European immigrants and adapted into modern entertaining food. This cucumber-based version is a contemporary paleo-style hors d’oeuvre that swaps crackers or bread for crisp fresh rounds while keeping the familiar pairing of salmon, dill, lemon, and capers.
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