Smoked Salmon with Wasabi Cream Cheese & Ginger Pickled Onions on Homemade Crackers
Sure it takes longer, but these homemade crackers are better than store-bought simply because it's fun to make your own crackers and to impress your friends by telling them so! Plus, it's the old cliché of getting to enjoy the fruits of your laborÖor in this case, the crackers.
Makes 15 appetizers
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons wasabi powder (depending on how spicy you like it)
1 1/2 tablespoon water
4 ounces reduced-fat or regular cream cheese, softened
15 pieces Homemade Crackers (recipe follows)
4 ounces hot-smoked salmon (or substitute cold-smoked or lox-style slices)
1/2 cup well-drained Ginger Pickled Onions (recipe follows)
2 tablespoons finely sliced fresh chives
In a small bowl, stir together the wasabi powder and water to make a smooth paste. Stir in the softened cream cheese and mix until smooth.
Dividing it evenly among the cracker pieces, spread the wasabi cream cheese onto each cracker. Top with the smoked salmon, then the Ginger Pickled Onions. Sprinkle with chives.
Chef's Tips:
Bring the cream cheese to room temperature before making the wasabi cream cheese. Be sure to purchase only small amounts of wasabi powder. as it quickly goes stale and becomes bitter in taste.
Ginger Pickled Onions
These onions are also great as a garnish in martinis and on sandwiches. Make the onions at least 1 day before serving to allow the flavors to enhance. Onions will keep refrigerated, up to 1 month.
Makes 1 1/2 cups
2 tablespoons thinly shaved pink pickled ginger (the kind you get with sushi), chopped
1 red onion, sliced 1/8-inch thick
1 cup seasoned rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup water
Place the ginger and onion in a small stainless steel bowl or heat-resistant glass container. Combine remaining ingredients in a small non-corrosive saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. As soon as the mixture is boiling briskly, pour it over the onions. Push the onions down into the mixture with a spoon and let cool. When the mixture cools to room temperature, place a small heavy plate or bowl directly on the onions to weigh them down. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Onions will keep up to 2 weeks. The plate or bowl can be removed after a day. Drain before serving.
Homemade Crackers
Makes about 32 cracker pieces
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon butter, cut in small pieces
4 to 6 tablespoons milk
Flour for dusting, as needed
Kosher salt
Seeds, such as poppy or sesame, if desired
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a food processor, mix together flour, salt, sugar, and butter. Pulse ingredients until mixture resembles coarse meal. With machine running, gradually add milk (add 4 tablespoons at first and, if dough is dry, add more, 1 tablespoon at a time). Process until dough comes together.
Remove dough to a piece of plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes or up to 1 hour before proceeding. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and divide into 8 pieces.
Press dough into a disk to fit pasta machine. Run dough through machine several times, each time reducing the setting from largest to smallest. Do this until dough is cracker-thin (about 1/8 inch). Dough can also be hand-rolled-it just takes some muscle! When hand rolling, roll the dough into long rectangular pieces that are cracker-thin or an 1/8 inch thick.
Place rolled out pieces on large baking sheets lined with parchment paper, and lightly mist or brush the dough with water. Sprinkle with kosher salt and optional seeds. Using a fork, prick the dough all over. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until crackers are lightly browned and crisp.
Cool. Break each cracker into about 4 pieces. Serve immediately or store at room temperature in a tightly covered container.
Chef's Tips:
For a variety of interesting crackers, add lemon zest, black pepper, or herbs to the dough.
© 2003 Kathy Casey Food Studios®
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