kitchenelf
Chef Extraordinaire
This came from the December 2003 Martha Stewart Magazine.
3 8-oz. packages cream cheese, softened
1 2 cup finely chopped red onion
2 TBS capers, drained and chopped
2 TBS fresh dill, finely chopped, plus more for garnish
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 loaves pumpernickel bread, cut into 16 1/2" slices
1 lb. smoked salmon, thinly sliced
1 1/2 seedless cucumbers, thinly sliced into 1/8" slices, patted dry, plus more slices for decorating sides of cake
1/2 cup crème fraîche
1 1/2 oz. salmon roe
1 oz. black caviar
Lemon wedges for garnish
1. In a small bowl combine 8 oz. crème cheese, red onion, capers, dill, and lemon juice: season with salt and pepper, and stir until smooth. Lay 4 bread slices on a clean work surface; trim 1/4 inch from all sides of slices. Spread 1 TBS cream cheese mixture on top of 1 slice, and layer with smoked salmon and cucumber (try not to overlap cucumber slices). Spread another thin layer of the cream cheese mixture on top. Repeat with 2 more bread slices.
2. Neatly stack prepared slices, filling side up, squaring the sides with your hands; top with the fourth bread slice. Repeat with the remaining bread and filling to create 3 more stacks this way.
3. Transfer stacks to a serving platter with their long sides touching. In a small bowl combine remaining 16 oz. cream cheese and crème fraîche until smooth. Using an offset spatula, spread mixture evenly over assembled cake. Refrigerate, covered, 2 hours or overnight.
4. Before serving arrange overlapping cucumber slices around base of cake; spoon salmon roe and caviar along the top, and sprinkle with dill. Garnish the platter with lemon wedges.
3 8-oz. packages cream cheese, softened
1 2 cup finely chopped red onion
2 TBS capers, drained and chopped
2 TBS fresh dill, finely chopped, plus more for garnish
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 loaves pumpernickel bread, cut into 16 1/2" slices
1 lb. smoked salmon, thinly sliced
1 1/2 seedless cucumbers, thinly sliced into 1/8" slices, patted dry, plus more slices for decorating sides of cake
1/2 cup crème fraîche
1 1/2 oz. salmon roe
1 oz. black caviar
Lemon wedges for garnish
1. In a small bowl combine 8 oz. crème cheese, red onion, capers, dill, and lemon juice: season with salt and pepper, and stir until smooth. Lay 4 bread slices on a clean work surface; trim 1/4 inch from all sides of slices. Spread 1 TBS cream cheese mixture on top of 1 slice, and layer with smoked salmon and cucumber (try not to overlap cucumber slices). Spread another thin layer of the cream cheese mixture on top. Repeat with 2 more bread slices.
2. Neatly stack prepared slices, filling side up, squaring the sides with your hands; top with the fourth bread slice. Repeat with the remaining bread and filling to create 3 more stacks this way.
3. Transfer stacks to a serving platter with their long sides touching. In a small bowl combine remaining 16 oz. cream cheese and crème fraîche until smooth. Using an offset spatula, spread mixture evenly over assembled cake. Refrigerate, covered, 2 hours or overnight.
4. Before serving arrange overlapping cucumber slices around base of cake; spoon salmon roe and caviar along the top, and sprinkle with dill. Garnish the platter with lemon wedges.