The search is on for the perfect midday snack.
As the days get longer, and the temperatures get hotter, I’m on a mission to find those perfect bites for a hot summer afternoon.
I always take a snack with me to work to eat around 4 in the afternoon. I usually bring a selection of cheese, some pickles or olives, and some type of protein. I don’t think my coworkers like me very much when I decide on a tuna pack, so I’ve been trying to think up of other proteins to bring…and there’s only so much deli meat I can eat in a week.
The inspiration for this recipe came from one I saw a Pinterest. The Pinterest recipe was a rolled smoked salmon pinwheel, with a beautiful swirl of cream cheese, cucumbers and red onion. I knew from experience, though, that my smoked salmon wouldn’t roll up nicely.
The smoked salmon I get from the grocery store is a very thin, very fragile filet. If I attempted to roll that up, you would see splints and breaks in the meat. This got my gears turning—how could I make a smoked salmon snack that was more simple, and no-roll was necessary?
A dip! Everyone loves a good dip. I would take all of the lox flavors I could find: capers, red onion, cream cheese and lemon. Mix those ingredients in with chopped smoked salmon and a dip will be born.
Since there no cucumbers made it into the dip, why not serve it ON cucumbers? Brilliant!
These little bites would have been perfect if I had not forgotten one thing: dill. The addition of dill, fresh or dried, would have really set these lox-cucumber bites apart from the normal. I’m usually obsessed with dill, and am now kicking myself for forgetting it!
If you’re looking for a great summer snack, or something to take with you to a cookout or party, this recipe is for you.
Enjoy!
Smoked Salmon Cucumber Bites
A cool, creamy bite for a hot summer day.
Ingredients
- 8 oz. smoked salmon, chopped into bite size pieces
- 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 red onion, finely diced
- Juice and zest of lemon
- 3 TBS. capers
- 1 cucumber, sliced thin
Directions
- In a stand mixer, whip the cream cheese and lemon juice/zest until well mixed. Add chopped onion, capers, and smoked salmon and stir (by hand).
- Spoon smoked salmon mixture onto cucumber rounds and serve chilled.
Step-By-Step Instructions
In a stand mixer, whip together cream cheese and lemon juice/zest. Add capers, red onion and smoked salmon and mix by hand.
Serve on cucumber rounds, chilled.
leencuisine.com 
What a refreshing idea. 🌿🌱🍃
It is!! Cool summer bites 😎
Salmon, cream cheese, and cucumber are one of my favorite combos. Can’t go wrong when those 3 are together.
Agreed! They truly are wonderful flavors together.