Just Cured - Experience Fine Foods

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 medium cucumber
• 8 oz Just Curedô Smoked Salmon, cut into small dice
• 1 T lemon juice
• Ω cup crËme fraÓche (may substitute sour cream drained of excess liquid)
• 1 to 2 T heavy cream
• 1 T minced fresh chives
• 8 lemon segments
• 4 small sprigs fresh dill
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Equipment required:

Four 2 inch diameter by 2 inch high ring molds. 2 inch PVC pipe cut to length is perfect for this presentation.

Method:

Half peel or channel cut, then seed and dice the cucumber into a small dice. Sprinkle the cucumber with salt and let sit for 5 minutes. Rinse off the salt, drain and pat dry.

In a small bowl, mix together using a rubber spatula the lemon juice, crËme fraÓche, heavy cream and chives. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Reserve the lemon cream.

In a medium bowl, mix the diced cucumber with a tablespoon or two of the lemon cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste. The goal is to lightly coat the cucumber pieces. Pack one quarter of the cucumber mixture into each of the ring molds so that the mold is half filled.

In the same bowl, mix the diced smoked salmon with a tablespoon or two of the lemon cream. Pack one quarter of the salmon mixture into each ring mold to fill the molds.

At this point you may refrigerate the molds for several hours if you so desire.

To serve, place each ring mold in the center of a plate. Carefully remove the molds. Garnish the top of each ring with two lemon segments and a sprig of dill. If desired, you may also drizzle a bit of lemon cream on each plate.

Note: This recipe works just as well with Just Cured Gravlax.