Smoked salmon and clementines with toast, etc.

This is a quick supper or quick hors d'oeuvre made out of things that I usually have around the house anyway (except for the clementines, which I am STILL trying to use up, but I would always have some form of fruit to substitute). For that reason, it would be a good quick thing to make if people just dropped by, if you are snowed in, or if you have just plain had it with the leftover turkey/ham/prime rib/turducken or whatever was for Christmas dinner and want a break.

What I used:

Smoked salmon
2 clementines (from the endless crate), sectioned
arugula, a handful, rinsed
2 pieces of bread, toasted and cut into triangles (we'll talk about this later)
Greek yogurt (ditto)
shallot (about half of one, or a teensy one, chopped fine)
butter (or olive oil)
some fresh basil leaves


In Italy, we were blown away by an appetizer of smoked salmon and oranges. Of course they are good together. I think I was blown away because the Italians didn't care that it was an orange fish with an orange -- well, orange. We have been taught so carefully to mix colors. But the fairly fatty (and salty) fish and the citrus go together really well. I just added whole-wheat toast, Greek yogurt, some chopped shallot, and arugula and a basil garnish (OK, I had to add something green.). If I had it to do over: More toast! It's a scoop and eat thing.

About Greek yogurt: I know most people think of cream cheese with salmon, but good, thick Greek yogurt is tooo good to pass up. It is a dip, a spread -- it is rich without being too rich, plus has a tang that I happen to like. If you don't like any cultured milk product, such as yogurt and sour cream, well, besides feeling sorry for you, I will say you could probably use cream cheese. Yawn. Shallots and Greek yogurt really go together well. This yogurt is also great instead of sour cream on baked potatoes and is wonderful with fruit for breakfast. So I always have some Greek yogurt on hand. Cream cheese, not so much.

Toast: Italians would use, duh, Italian bread. What you see on this plate is Trader Joe's Sprouted Wheat Bread. I love the way it toasts. Makes eating whole grains so easy. If I were having a party, I might buy or bake a loaf of Italian bread or, blasphemy aside, a French baguette. For one or two people, that's just too much bread, because it doesn't keep well. In fact, the next day you either have to make bread crumbs to stash in the freezer or use the leftover piece of the loaf as a hammer to hang pictures. The wheat bread actually doesn't last terribly long, either, because it doesn't have preservatives, but it's easier to stash in the freezer. As for the triangles, well, just prettier.

Butter: I like to put just a scrape of butter the hot toast. You could use olive oil, or skip it, and just rely on the yogurt (or cream cheese) to moisten the toast.

Smoked salmon: OK, I don't always have it in the fridge, but most of the time I have a small package of it because I like it and it keeps pretty well. There are big debates about wild caught vs. farm-raised. I like wild caught. There are big debates about Atlantic vs. Pacific, Scottish vs. Nova Scotia vs. Alaska. I like wild caught, from wherever. I carefully separate the layers and make little curls. Because they are pretty, but also they fit better on the toast corners.

Clementines: If I ever run out of them, I would use oranges or grape tomatoes or even regular tomatoes if they were ripe and tasty. I would be willing to try any kind of fruit, even something as wacky sounding as dried cranberries. Probably would be yummy.

It is very classic to also use capers. Not something I keep around, or if I do, they're in a jar that I don't want to open for just a teaspoon full. And I'm not crazy about them, anyway. If you are, knock yourself out. For that matter, some people might also add caviar. I'm fresh out.

For a party hors d'oeuvre, I would go ahead and stack the various ingredients on the toast corners, partly to discourage the dreaded "double-dipping" and partly to make it easier for guests.