Fancy Lunch: Smoked Salmon Wraps

Now this is a perfect lunch.

My smoked salmon wraps are just what a girl needs for mid-day grazing by the pool, preferably with a champagne or spritzer in hand. But usually for moi it's just a good ole bottle of H2O.

I gave up lunch meats for Lent this year, and I have been really holding to it well past the 40 days of my vow to give up a lil somethin' somethin. It forces me to get more creative in the kitchen, and it is ridding my life of excess salt which in turn gives me positive energy and fantastic body feelings, so I'm staying with the no lunch meat thang.

If you are a meal prepper, you could totally make a stash of these wraps for the week. Letting them sit in the fridge lets them hold up better.

The smoked salmon works beautifully with the chives and cucumber and arugula. And I love the color!

I used whipped cream cheese for its ideal spreading capabilities. If you are using regular old cream cheese, just make sure you let it sit out to get to room temp.

Smoked Salmon Wrap

Serves 1 fabulous person

1 large tortilla (plain, spinach, whole wheat) (49 grams)

2-3 Tbsp. whipped cream cheese

1 tsp. chopped chives

4 slices (2 oz.) thinly sliced smoked salmon

6-8 thin cucumber slices

1/2 cup baby arugula

On one side of the tortilla, spread whipped cream cheese with a spreader or butter knife. Sprinkle evenly with chives. Place smoked salmon slices atop the cream cheese and chives.

Arrange cucumber slices on top of the smoked salmon, spacing out evenly. Place arugula on top of the cucumber slices.

Roll up into a log. Cut in half. Chill for thirty minutes and enjoy!

Cover

Note to Self

Must listen to The Husband.

He’s chuckling to himself while reading those words, I’m SURE.

Here’s the thing: The Husband often engages me in riveting conversations about turning the lights off when exiting a room, the thermostat setting, how to properly load a dishwasher or stock options, retirement plans, interest rates, savings accounts, the mortgage, insurance, taxes or other topics that will instantaneously put you in a coma. So, sometimes I zone him out or “yeah, yeah, yeah” him to death.

But when I jumpstarted my lucrative career (ha ha ha) as a blogger, The Husband offered me a tip or two including, “You need to make a list of your story ideas so that you don’t forget anything.”

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

But that Husband, he was so right on.

Because, I made no list whatsoever and as I was downloading some pics yesterday, I came across two dishes that I never shared with all y’all – from December.

OMG. Who am I?

So my listmaking re: The Blog begins today.

I’m actually the world’s biggest fan of lists. I make them all the time.

Lists for party planning.
Lists for grocery shopping.

Lists for my piano studio.

Lists for holidays.

Lists for chores.

And I check off the list as I accomplish each task.
When I was a newspaper editor, my life was totally One Big List of To Do’s and Deadlines and Don’t Forgets. Day in and day out.

My mom razzes me for my uber overplanning process. But that’s just how I roll. If I write something down, it gets done.

I’m not going to apologize. Flying by the seat of my pants doesn’t work. I forget things.

Case in point: The Blog.

So with that, dear readers, I bring you a delightful treat: A Smoked Salmon Platter. This dish made its debut several years ago. I was trying to impress The Inlaws, who are way fabulous and awesome. The appie was such a hit, I make it every year now for my Easter Brunch Extravaganza. Or, I should say, Our Easter Brunch Extravaganza, because The Husband hosts it as well. His tasks include: calming me down, buying ice and making sure the wine, champagne and liquor are well-stocked.

My sister Michele and husband Bob LOVE the Smoked Salmon Platter. So, I rocked it out for their Christmas Eve Night of the Seven Fishes.

In my typical Italian way, I bought way too much smoked salmon (running out of food is like one of our Seven Deadly Sins). So, with my extra packages of smoked salmon, I made a lil somethin’ somethin’ for The Hubs and moi. And it was way less hectic than Christmas Eve, so The Husband was able to take some divine pics for you.

Aren’t the holidays such a whirlwind? Oy. I can’t even think straight, which is another reason why this got lost in the shuffle.

Anyway, the smoked salmon is sliced thin. It’s served with a fabulous cream cheese horseradish spread as well as the typical smoked salmon accoutrement – chopped red onion and capers. It looks very impressive upon serving. I do Martha Stewart proud here fo’ sho’.

And also, dear readers, I hope you’re not under the impression that The Husband has tragic conversation skills. Quite the contrary. He’s very witty and funny and well read and knows his sports, politics, business, domestic policy, foreign policy, fine arts, dining out, traveling and current affairs like nobody’s business. And, he’s not too shabby on celebrity gossip. In fact, when not boring me to death about really important money matters that he’s so awesome at sorting out, he is usually making me laugh or think or laugh some more. LOVE him!

Here is a Smoked Salmon Platter for a party of two.

The recipe below is for a big gathering.

Smoked Salmon Platter
Served as appetizer for a party of 20-25

20 ounces smoked salmon, thinly sliced
½ medium red onion, minced
½ cup capers, rinsed
Carrs crackers or sliced French baguette
Cream cheese horseradish spread (see below)

Place the red onion in a ramekin or small serving bowl. Place the capers in another ramekin or small serving bowl.

On a large platter, arrange smoked salmon slices and crackers or baguette.

Cream Cheese Horseradish Spread
1 8 ounce package cream cheese at room temperature
½ cup sour cream
Juice from 1 lemon
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives
2-3 tsp. horseradish
Pinch of salt
Black pepper to taste

With a mixer, cream the cream cheese. Add the remaining ingredients. Mix until well combined. Place in a ramekin and serve with your Smoked Salmon Platter.

Note: You may make the Cream Cheese Horseradish Spread 1 to 2 days in advance.

Dinner in 10 Minutes

No joke.

It took 10 minutes to prepare dinner tonight.

On the menu: Smoked Salmon Salad.

Yes, I am blessed with a husband who does not require mass quantities of steak and potatoes for dinner to be dinner.

Normally, on Monday nights, I’m dining alone – at about 9:30 p.m. or so. My last student leaves at 9:15.

But tonight is no ordinary Monday, my friends. Tonight is Game 4 of the National League Baseball Playoffs, so Husband somehow got all his work done and was in his manly leather chair by first pitch.

I know my salad is not very baseball-esque in style and stature, but Mark is going to the game on Wednesday so I’m sure he’ll get his fill of hotdogs and beer courtesy of Citizens Bank Park.

Tonight, he was served something a bit more high brow.

Smoked salmon seems so fancy pants, right?

I actually pick it up right at the SuperFresh five minutes from mi casa.

Oh, the glamour.

Goat Cheese Toasts accompanied the Smoked Salmon Salad. The salmon tastes so delish on top of the toasts. Highly recommend.

So, with that I leave you: Bon appetite and kick L.A.’s ass, Phillies!!!!!

Smoked Salmon Salad with Goat Cheese Toasts

Note: Let smoked salmon and goat cheese sit out at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Toasts:
Half a baguette, sliced
Your favorite goat cheese

Lightly toast baguette in a toaster oven or under your oven’s broiler until golden brown. Spread with goat cheese. (Tough recipe, I know.)

Salad:
1 6. oz package of smoked salmon
3 cups of mesclun mix, aka salad greens
¼ red onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. capers
½ cup celery, chopped
Juice of ½ lemon
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

In a salad bowl, combine mesclun, onion, capers, celery, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss lightly. Place on serving plates and arrange salmon and goat cheese toasts alongside.