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To get ahead, you can prep everything in advance, but for best results, assemble just before serving. Save any leftover chives for sprinkling on the celery root soup.Yields about 40 hors d’oeuvres.
ingredients
4 large heads Belgian endive, preferably a mix of green and red endive
1/3 cup crème fraîche (available in the specialty cheese section of some supermarkets)
1/4 lb. thinly sliced smoked salmon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide strips
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 medium lemon
1 small bunch fresh chives, sliced diagonally into 1/4-inch segments
how to make
Discard any damaged outer endive leaves. Trim the root end and separate the leaves. You should end up with 35 to 40 large leaves (save the small inner leaves for a salad). Arrange the leaves on a baking sheet.
Put the crème fraîche in a squeeze bottle or a small piping bag. You can also make a piping bag by trimming one corner of a small zip-top bag). Pipe a small dollop of crème fraîche on each endive leaf. Gently arrange a small pile (about 4 strips) of the sliced salmon on top of the crème fraîche. Season the salmon with some black pepper and a little squeeze of lemon juice. Sprinkle a few chives on top (you may not need them all), arrange the leaves on a platter, and serve.
From Fine Cooking 75, pp. 53
December 1, 2005
photo: Scott Phillips
