Avocado And Smoked Salmon ©

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas is coming! Tree decorated, presents wrapped, quick quick Santa is on his way!!!!

This is a family favorite for a special occasion and is perfect for the  avocado and smoked salmon lovers. Our avocado tree is laden………this is just the recipe!

Quick and simple to prepare and makes an excellent starter.

 

 

 

 

 

Easy

 

 

6 Persons

 

Special Equipment : Piping bag, star nozzle

 

 

Ingredients

1/2 Ripe Avocado per person > 3 Avocados in total

2-3 Slices of Smoked Salmon per person >18 slices

(* Buy smoked salmon freshly cut from a whole salmon)

150g Crème Fraîche or Cream Cheese

Finely grated zest of one lemon or lime and a few drops of lemon/lime juice

Paprika to garnish and frizzy lettuce leaves, green and red

 

Vinaigrette Dressing

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp dijon (only) mustard

1 tbs vinegar or lemon juice

3 tbs Olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

 

Method

1. Wash lettuce leaves thoroughly and place in lettuce spinner to remove water. ( If you don’t have a lettuce spinner, place lettuce leaves in large plastic bag and whirl in the air, old fashioned style! The water will collect in one corner of the bag and you then pour it out. Otherwise pat dry between two pieces of kitchen paper, or two clean tea towels.)

2. In a bowl place crème fraîche or cream cheese. Add the fine zest of your lemon or lime peel and a two drops of lemon/lime juice to make it softer. Mix well and place in star nozzle piping bag. Reserve in refrigerator until ready to use.

3. Make up vinaigrette putting first salt, pepper, then dijon mustard in cup and add slowly the vinegar or lemon juice. Once this is well mixed, add the olive oil stirring continuously, so that you get an emulsion. This should be fairly thick, so that it coats the avocado slices.

4. Place two lettuce leaves, ( harder center stalks stalks  removed,) on your serving plate. Arrange the two or three slices of salmon, depending on size, partly covering  the lettuce. (See picture.)

Up to this point you can prepare ahead of time.(Max 4 hours.) Cover with cling film and reserve in fridge.

5. Ten minutes before you are ready to serve, peel avocado carefully and evenly. Slice into stone 1 cm slices long ways and place on a separate plate. Pour over vinaigrette and one by one lift off plate with a spatula and arrange in a fan shape on serving plate.

6. Finely decorate your dish with rosettes of crème fraîche and sprinkle with a little paprika. ( If you don’t have a piping bag, use a small teaspoon and spoon a small amount onto the center of your dish.

 

Cook’s Note : Always remember once you peel an avocado after a short while it will discolor. You should therefore, only peel it at the last minute and pour a little lemon juice or vinaigrette over it straight away so that it does not brown.

**** If your Paprika is hot, use very sparingly, if sweet you can be more generous.

****The “Zest” is the outermost peel and does not include the white pith, which is bitter. One short grate on the grater while moving your lemon round produces enough zest, about two teaspoons in all. Always use the finest holes on your grater, it should be barely noticeable. Large lumps are not what you want, it then becomes similar to eating peel!!!!!

 

***** Smoked salmon freshly cut from a whole smoked salmon is the best. The ones bought ready cut in envelopes may be more economical, but are not always as good.

***** Dijon is the best mustard to use for a good vinaigrette, other mustards do not give the same taste!

 

Planted from seed about  25 years ago!!! If you would like to try I can send you the details :))

 

Beautiful Avocados……..

 

Wash lettuces and dry, remove stalks and reserve. Remove salmon from cellophane and arrange partly over lettuce leaves.

Peel avocado carefully and evenly, so your slices come out a good shape.

 

Make up vinaigrette. Place salt, freshly ground pepper and a teaspoon of dijon mustard in a small cup or bowl.

 

Mix well until it emulsifies.

In a separate bowl make up crème fraîche. Place in star nozzle piping bag. If you don’t have a piping bag, use a small teaspoon.

 

Prize out the slices carefully……

 

…….and place on a separate plate. Drizzle over vinaigrette dressing.

 

Start by arranging two lettuce leaves of different colors on your serving plate. Partly cover with two to three

slices of smoked salmon, depending on their size.

 

 

Fan out avocado slices and decorate with a large rosette of crème fraîche.

 

Sprinkle with paprika.

 

Final result! This arrangement, looks particularly good on my English Great Grandmother’s plates, only used for very special occasions!