Light and healthy, Smoked Salmon Canapes with Whipped Chive Cream Cheese are the perfect brunch food. Perfectly portioned on slices of pumpernickel cocktail bread and topped with an airy yogurt/cream cheese spread.

 

Ever been to a bris? I have been to exactly one in my entire life. A close friend of our’s had a baby boy and 8 days later we went to their lovely home to attend the event. If you’re unfamiliar with what a bris is….let me clue you in. A bris (or brit milah) is a religious ceremony specifically for boys where a mohel performs a circumcision in front of an entire room of friends, family and, in this case, professional acquaintances. It’s a big deal. (So…now you know why the girls don’t get their own bris and frankly, as a newborn female I would be relieved.) I know what you’re thinking….this is not brunch conversation, but just wait….I’ll get to that in a moment.

The ceremony is then followed by a ridiculous spread of amazing food. Latkes, brisket, smoked salmon…basically anything you’d find at a Jewish deli during the breakfast hours. It’s pretty insane. And filling. And a great deterrent to the main event…which I couldn’t watch. One, I just couldn’t watch because I’m a squeamish person and all I could imagine was face planting on the living room floor because I saw a speckle of blood. Two, I was really hungry….and this event, to me is slightly humiliating to the baby. That’s a private moment and the amount of people that attended to watch him get snipped was a little overwhelming. So, I did what many others did that day and retreated to the kitchen as soon as the mohel gave the baby his pain reliever….a drop of WINE! Seriously…if I’m ever going under the knife for any reason, a drop of wine is just not going to cut it. For the record, I’m not jewish so I may not fully appreciate the religious meaning behind the bris….and so, I eat.

 

I’ve always loved smoked salmon…in small amounts. Some of these people were loading up their bagels with heaping piles of salmon, that’s a bit much for me. I like a perfect blend of flavors with my salmon, a little bit of this and a little of that. Little light bites of perfect flavor harmony. That’s when I decided that smoked salmon would be better topping a tiny canapé. So, today I’m bringing you Smoked Salmon Canapes with Whipped Chive Cream Cheese. They’re the perfect light bite for a Mother’s Day Brunch, Wedding Shower, Baby Shower or….bris. Perfectly portioned, you won’t have guests hovering around a tray of salmon and it’s accompaniments for long periods of time. They’re layered with fresh ingredients and the glue that holds it all together….a yogurt cream cheese that’s whipped until light and airy, then folded carefully with a sprinkling of chives. I used a room temperature cream cheese and combined it with greek yogurt to make it smooth and creamy. Perfection.

 

So easy to make and even easier to eat. They’re amazing with a pitcher or three of my Bloody Margaritas. And if you’re looking for a few more easy brunch ideas….these deviled eggs are always a huge hit as is this Mimosa Fruit Salad!

 

Get the Recipe: Smoked Salmon Canapes with Whipped Chive Cream Cheese #BrunchWeek

Yield: 12 canapes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
the perfect appetizer for a get together!
5 from 1 vote
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Ingredients

  • 6 ounces room temperature cream cheese
  • 2 tablespoons plain low fat greek yogurt, I used Stonyfield
  • 3 tablespoons chopped chives
  • 6 ounces smoked salmon
  • 1/2 english cucumber sliced thin
  • 1/4 red onion, sliced thin
  • 1 plum tomato, seeded and diced
  • 12 slices cocktail pumpernickel bread
  • Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
  • chopped chives for garnish

Instructions 

  • In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and yogurt until light and fluffy. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the chopped chives.
  • Spread a teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture onto each slice of bread and then divide the salmon among them topping each with a sliver. Top each canapé with cucumber, red onion and tomatoes. Season with a little bit of kosher salt and pepper. Garnish with the remaining chives. Serve immediately.
  • Note: The cream cheese mixture can be made up to 24 hours in advance and stored in an airtight container refrigerated.

Video

YouTube video
Serving: 1g, Calories: 135kcal, Carbohydrates: 13g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 18mg, Sodium: 313mg, Potassium: 134mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 285IU, Vitamin C: 1.7mg, Calcium: 38mg, Iron: 1mg
Author: Kellie
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American