Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheese Crostini

These Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheese Crostinis are easy to make, colourful and sophisticated.

These days when life is so busy and we still want to make time for entertaining, a formal dinner can take too much planning but an impromptu drinks get together is the perfect solution. This can be informal, relaxed and you don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen preparing. My mantra is to keep things simple because after all hospitality should give as much to the host or hostess, as to the guests.

“Hors d’oeuvres and plenty of drinks are all you need to make your party shine”

My hors d’oeuvres are easy to make using just a handful of ingredients, totally tasty and your guests will love.

The one important thing to remember when making these or any canapés- is to make sure the base of your canapé is strong enough to hold the topping and therefore easy to pick up and eat.

Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheese Crostini

These little toasts and topping can be made in advance so all you have to do is assemble just before serving.

Ingredients:

For the Toasts

1. French baguette

2. Olive oil for brushing

3. Oregano

Topping

1. Cream cheese

2. Chopped chives

3. Lemon for squeezing

4. Tabasco to taste

5. Smoked salmon strips

6. Black pepper

7. Dill to garnish

Method

1. Preheat oven to 190°C / 355F / gas 5

2. Cut ends off baguette then cut into thin slices

3. Brush both sides of each slice with olive oil then scatter over little oregano

4. Place on a flat tray and bake for 10 minutes until crisp and golden

5. Transfer to wire rack and cool

To Assemble

1. Mix cream cheese, chives and tabasco

2. Spoon a dollop of cream cheese mixture on top of the crostini toasts

3. Top with a strip of smoked salmon and squeeze lemon juice over

4. Grind black pepper on top

5. Garnish with dill

Sharing plates, finger foods, canapés or as the French calls it ‘Hors d’oeuvres ‘ and plenty of drinks are all you need to make your party shine.