simple smoked salmon with feta & ricotta whip on grainy toasts

Happy New Yeeeeeeeeear!!!!! Welcome back for 2019, I hope your year has started as well as mine has…(more on that later), first up I thought we would ease into things very gently with something which is barely a recipe at all – simple smoked salmon with feta and ricotta whip. I originally put this together for the spring 2018 issue of Dish, using grainy toast as the base for the rich salmon, salty, smooth feta whip, sharp quick-pickled red onions and mouth-puckering capers – but of course it would also work well on toasted bagels, fresh ciabatta or pumpernickel bread. It is such a handy combination, perfect for breakfast, lunch, or in smaller portions to enjoy with a wee glass of something on a sunny afternoon.

Right then, what else? Crikey, Christmas feels like an eternity ago already! I was lucky enough to have Hoob staying on Christmas Eve then dashed out to collect Pog from the airport in the morning, fresh off a flight from Welly. I gathered the troops at my place for brunch (as per), serving the classic lineup – festive bircher muesli, sides of roast salmon with pomegranate glaze and these same quick pickled red onions, watercress salad loaded with buffalo mozzarella, peas, mint, broad beans and avocado and piles of toasty croissants and bagels. Having been uncharacteristically abstemious in the morning I zoomed over to share a glass of wine with a delicious new friend in the afternoon. (Said friend part of the reason I’m smiling while I type this). Any waaaaaay, the men/boys then hung out with me for a few days before heading off to celebrate the new year – Rich with the gorgeous Raven in Nelson, and Henry flying temporarily solo in Wellington. I shot over to Waiheke to spend the evening with my dearest mates, playing cards, talking nonsense and drinking whisky (as usual that may have been mostly me). Since then I have been taking advantage of a bit of down time to get busy on the book. I am so excited at how it is looking, I wish I could tell you more about it, but for now at least I can say it will be out this year! Meanwhile I’m looking forward to sharing many more recipes with you here on the blog throughout 2019…see you again soon!

150g ricotta
100g cream cheese, chopped
250g feta, chopped
finely grated zest of a lemon
1/3 cup cider vinegar
2 teaspoons caster sugar
ยฝ teaspoon sea salt
1 small red onion, finely sliced
8 thick slices extra grainy bread
300g sliced smoked salmon
2 tbsp capers, drained
8-10 caperberries (optional)
1/2 cup dill sprigs
1 teaspoon poppy seeds

Put the ricotta, cream cheese, feta and lemon zest in a small food processor and whiz until smooth. Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Whisk the vinegar, sugar and salt together in a non-reactive (not metal!) bowl. Add the onion and stir to combine. Leave to soak for 30 minutes. Toast the bread, top with rictooa feta whip, salmon slices and drained red onion. Garnish with capers, caperberries, dill and poppy seeds to serve.

Makes 8

15 comments

  1. Glad to hear about the โ€œsaid friendโ€. How exciting. Enjoy the fun times together.

  2. Happy New Year Sarah. I am looking forward to another year of your wonderful recipes, cheerful blogs and your new cookbook.

  3. Looks great will try this later this week for brunch while still on holiday ๐Ÿ˜Š. Glad to hear that you have a ‘friend’ now. Good on ya! ๐Ÿ˜‰ Sarah, a friend is trying to subscribe to your posts on my suggestion but keep getting the whoops there is a problem message. Could you check it out please and let me know so I can tell her. Thx Sam. p.s. got your book for Xmas and did your croquet recipe today.. .yum! Wonderful book. Really looking forward to trying out recipes and also look forward to your next one lol cheers

    1. Hi Sam โ€“ thanks so much for the heads up on the subscription problem โ€“ Iโ€™ll look into it!!! So glad youโ€™re enjoying the book ๐Ÿ˜Š

  4. Thx Sarah. Think I solved problem by forwarding your last email post to my friend as the subscribe box worked for another email address I’ve got. Happy sunny days ๐Ÿ˜Š

    1. Hi Mary – I’ll check from my end…have you tried clearing your cache? Thanks for letting me know! ๐Ÿ™‚

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