Surprise yourself with this starter with hot smoked salmon, cucumber and apple! The adjectives surprising, tasty, simple and healthy are more than appropriate here! For this starter we use hot smoked salmon. You can read later in the article what this is right and why we do this. Just like some other tips and possible variations. But let's start with the recipe.

How to prepare this hot smoked salmon with cucumber and apple?

The hot smoked salmon

For this starter we use a piece of hot smoked salmon. Its texture and taste are very different from the classic slices of (cold) smoked salmon that you probably know so well. But be sure to try a slice of hot smoked salmon. You won't regret it!

Remove the skin from the hot smoked salmon and then mash it with a fork. Here you will immediately notice the difference with fresh salmon and cold smoked salmon, which retain the texture of fresh salmon much more. In this case, the salmon is more cooked and we have more of the effect of pulled meat. Pulled salmon so to say.

Can't find a slice of smoked salmon, or you really don't like it? Then you can of course also finely chop fresh salmon or cold smoked salmon (slices) and use it in this starter.

The cucumber and the apple

Cutt the cucumber and the apple into very fine pieces. To do this, cut the cucumber in lengthwise in half and then cut it horizontally and vertically along the front. Then it is very easy to cut small cubes.

The apple must also be very finely sliced. It is best to peel it and cut it into four quarters. Remove the cores. Place the apple quarters successively on both flat sides and then cut them lengthwise. Then you can cut small cubes just like with the cucumber.

By the way, I used a golden delicious here, not too sweet and not too sour!

The mayonnaise

We need the mayonnaise in this starter to bind the three ingredients. Otherwise it will fall apart. But it is even better to mix the mayo with yogurt or sour cream to soften the taste. The binding remains and the taste becomes lighter.

You can also use sour cream as an alternative to yogurt. This variant has already received a lot of approval from my family.

I recommend not to buy mayonaise in the store. But to take some minutes to make it yourself. It is super easy to make. And homemade always tastes better than a commodity from the supermarket. Follow the instructions in the article Mahonnaise - the origin of mayonnaise. And learn about the history of this magic white sauce along the way.

The cherry tomatoes and the salad

The cherry tomatoes and the salad are the setting for the hot smoked salmon with cucumber and apple to stage. If you would like a sharper salad, you can use arugula. Field salad or a mixture are also very valid alternatives.

The Parmesan chip

We finish this appetizer with a Parmesan chip. The taste fits perfectly with the smokiness of the salmon and contrasts with the fresh cucumber and apple. Parmesan chips are super easy to make and can be used as a tasty finish in many dishes. Definitively you will use it more often once you have made it!

Place heaps of grated Parmesan on a baking paper and bake for 8 minutes at 200° in the oven. The grated cheese is then melted and lightly baked. Remove them from the oven and let them cool down and get crispy.

But what is hot smoked salmon exactly?

And the counter question: what about cold smoked salmon? What exactly is the difference? And why is it so important in this recipe?

First of all, why do we smoke salmon? Smoking was originally a preservation method. There used to be no such thing as a refrigerator or a freezer. Then smoking was a good alternative to conserve the fish longer. The taste will change, but the fish will keep longer. Modern cooling techniques have solved the shelf life problem. Yet we still like to eat smoked wares. Just because it's tasty!

Cold smoked salmon is actually salmon that has been in the smoke for a longer period of time, 8 to 24 hours. And this at a temperature of maximum 25 degrees. The texture remains firm and therefore you can easily cut it into thin slices. The thin slices that you find in the store are therefore cold smoked. Just have a look at the packaging, it should be indicated there!

Hot smoked salmon is smoked faster and at a higher temperature. You could say steamed in smoke. This process takes less time, 3 to 5 hours, and can go up to a temperature of 75°C. While cold smoking mainly aims to extend the shelf life, hot smoking has much more influence on the taste. The salmon is cooked and can easily be pulled apart with a fork. So you can make pulled salmon out of it.

More external resources on smoked salmon

Would you like to know more about hot and cold smoking salmon? Then be sure to read the following articles:

More surprising.salmon

Salmon is one of the most popular fishes in the worlds kitchens. Are you looking for some more inspiration for surprising salmon recipes? The be sure to check out the following articles:

And here you can find some more starter ideas with (cold) smoked salmon:

If you speak Dutch, you can find the Dutch version of this recipe on gerechtenweb.blog.