Description
This Smoked Salmon Tartine recipe offers an elegant and flavorful French-inspired open-faced sandwich, featuring marinated smoked salmon, creamy dill and caper spread, crispy fried shallots, and a hint of spice from crushed red peppers. Perfect for a light lunch or sophisticated appetizer, it balances bright citrus, savory elements, and crisp textures on toasted baguette slices.
Ingredients
Scale
Marinade
- 1½ tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp honey
- ¼ cup chives, chopped
- 1 lemon (zest + juice, divided)
- 1 tbsp crushed red peppers
- Black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup olive oil
Salmon
- 8–10 oz smoked salmon
Garnishes & Spread
- 2 shallots, cut into very thin matchsticks
- Oil, for frying shallots
- 1 baguette, cut to 13 inches long and halved lengthwise
- Olive oil, for drizzling
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 2–3 tbsp fresh dill
- 2 tsp caper brine
- ¼ cup capers
- Toasted sesame seeds, to taste
- Micro arugula, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare Marinade: In a bowl, combine Dijon mustard, honey, chopped chives, lemon zest, crushed red peppers, black pepper, and a couple drops of lemon juice. Whisk in ½ cup olive oil thoroughly until emulsified.
- Marinate Salmon: Fully coat smoked salmon pieces in the marinade, ensuring both sides are covered. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes. For longer marinating, omit lemon juice to prevent over-acidifying.
- Fry Shallots: Pat shallots dry after slicing into very thin matchsticks. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat and fry shallots until golden and crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels.
- Make Cream Cheese Spread: In a food processor, blend cream cheese, fresh dill, capers, and caper brine until smooth and creamy. Season generously with black pepper and adjust seasoning to taste.
- Toast Baguette: Cut the baguette lengthwise into halves about 13 inches long each. Toast on a grill or under an oven broiler until nicely charred and crisp on top, then drizzle lightly with olive oil.
- Prepare Salmon for Serving: Remove the marinated salmon from the bowl. Optionally, skewer the salmon pieces gently to help maintain shape when placing atop the tartine.
- Adjust Marinade: Add ½ tsp lemon juice to the reserved marinade and adjust salt and pepper for extra brightness and seasoning.
- Assemble Tartine: Using a piping bag, pipe the cream cheese mixture evenly onto the toasted baguette halves. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over the cream cheese, layer marinated salmon pieces on top, spoon some marinade over the salmon, then garnish generously with micro arugula and crispy fried shallots.
- Serve: Cut each baguette half into 4 slices and serve immediately to enjoy the full complement of flavors and textures.
Notes
- Marinating longer than 30 minutes is possible, but omit lemon juice to prevent the salmon from becoming too acidic.
- Frying shallots requires careful attention to avoid burning; fry over medium heat and stir occasionally.
- Using a piping bag for the cream cheese spread helps create a neat presentation and even layering.
- Skewering salmon pieces is optional and mainly for presentation to keep slices intact on the tartine.
- Micro arugula adds a peppery freshness but can be substituted with baby arugula or fresh herbs if unavailable.
- Toasted sesame seeds add nutty flavor and texture contrast; adjust quantity to taste.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: French
Keywords: Smoked Salmon Tartine, open-faced sandwich, French appetizer, dill cream cheese spread, fried shallots, marinated salmon, baguette
