Christmastime is a holiday celebrated around the world, and is one with many traditions to partake in and enjoy.

From decorating the Christmas tree to singing Christmas carols, decorating gingerbread houses and (re)watching your favorite festive movies, the most wonderful time of the year is rich with traditions and activities.

Perhaps the most cherished of them all is that of friends and family gathering to share a meal and reflect on the many blessings of the previous year. Good food, good company and good energy all combine for a magical meal - and even more magical memories born from the sharing of it.

It is in this spirit that Smokin’ Brothers are delighted to share with you our best three smoked salmon Christmas recipes, a triad of smoked salmon delicacies that we hope bring some incredible tastes, textures and talking points to your Christmas meal.

So, without further ado, let us begin…

 

Recipe One: Montanarine with burrata and smoked salmon

Montanarine originated in Naples, the home of pizza. Sometimes referred to as pizza fritta, montanarine are a fried dough ball layered with delectable toppings.

At Smokin’ Brothers we love to stack our montanarine with creamy burrata cheese and strips of smoked salmon, perfect for sharing with loved ones around the Christmas table.

Ingredients:

Makes 20 montanarine:

Dough:

1. 400g flour type 0
2. 240ml water
3. 30ml extra virgin olive oil
4. 10g fresh brewer's yeast
5. 5g fine salt

Topping:

1. 400g burrata cheese
2. 400g smoked salmon
3. 100g extra virgin olive oil
4. 10g fresh parsley
5. Pink peppercorns

Process:

Dough:

1. Combine the flour, crumbled yeast and water in a stand mixer
2. Knead with the dough hook for five minutes, then add the olive oil and salt
3. Continue kneading for another five - 10 minutes, until the dough has a smooth and elastic texture
4. Transfer the dough to a work surface, shape into a ball and place in a bowl
5. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave the dough to rise for two/three hours at 25°C, until it has doubled in size
6. After rising, divide the dough into 20 pieces (each approximately 45g)
7. Shape the pieces into balls and place on parchment-lined baking sheets, with space in between each ball
8. Cover the dough balls with a clean kitchen cloth and leave to rise for another 30 minutes
9. After rising, gently flatten the centers of the dough balls 
10. Heat vegetable oil in a pan to 165°C (329°F) and immerse each montanarine for between three - five minutes until they are a golden brown color
11. Set aside and prepare the topping:

Filling:

1. Combine the olive oil and parsley, and use an immersion blender to mix the two until you achieve a smooth, homogeneous sauce
2. Gather the burrata cheese and smoked salmon and prepare for assembly:

Assembly:

1. Layer each montanarine with smoked salmon and add fresh burrata on top
2. Drizzle with the parsley oil
3. Finish with a sprinkle of pink peppercorns for garnish

Deliciously moorish, decadently presented, and perfect for the festive season: Smokin’ Brothers montanarine with burrata and smoked salmon is a montanarine the likes of which you will never have seen - or tasted - before.

Next up on our best three smoked salmon Christmas recipes we have something rather special to present…

…smoked salmon cheesecake!

 

Recipe Two: Smoked salmon cheesecake

Ingredients:

Cracker base:

1. 150g crackers (like Tuc)
2. 80g butter

Cheese and smoked salmon filling:

1. 250g ricotta cheese
2. 350g cream cheese
3. 90g smoked salmon
4. Juice of half a lemon
5. Two tablespoons of milk
6. Salt and pepper to taste

Topping:

1. 150g smoked salmon
2. Optional (but extra tasty): crushed pistachios and extra virgin olive oil

Process:

Cracker Base:

1. Gently melt the butter in a pan over a low heat
2. Blend the crackers until crumbly, adding the melted butter slowly while blending, until well combined
3. Line a 22cm springform pan with parchment paper 
4. Press the cracker mix firmly into the pan
5. Set aside in the fridge to chill

Cheese and smoked salmon filling:

1. Finely chop the smoked salmon.
2. In a bowl gently combine the chopped salmon with the ricotta and cream cheese
3. Squeeze half a lemon over the bowl, adding the juice to the filling mix
4. Season with salt and pepper
5. Mix well, adding two tablespoons of milk if the mixture is too thick
6. Taste the filling mixture and adjust the seasoning if desired

Assembly:

1. Remove the cracker base from the fridge
2. Pour the filling into the cracker base
3. Smooth the top with a spatula and return the smoked salmon cheesecake to the fridge for a minimum of one hour

Decoration:

1. Once set, carefully remove the cheesecake from the springform pan
2. Garnish with smoked salmon slices
3. Sprinkle with crushed pistachios and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

A savory cheesecake that is deserving of a spot on any Christmas dining table, this recipe is a favorite at any Smokin’ Brothers festive gathering.

As we are sure it will now be at your festive gatherings also!

Finally, we present our third contender in our best three smoked salmon Christmas recipes: eggs en croute, Smokin’ Brothers style.

 

Recipe Three: Eggs en croute

Ingredients:

1. 250g smoked salmon
2. 100g ricotta cheese
3. Four eggs
4. Four slices of bread
5. Fresh dill 
6. Extra virgin olive oil 
7. Black pepper 

Process:

1. Remove the crusts from the slices of bread, brush with olive oil and grill until golden, turning occasionally
2. Cut the smoked salmon into strips
3. Finely chop the fresh dill, setting some aside for garnishing later
4. In a bowl combine the smoked salmon strips, the fresh dill and the ricotta cheese
5. Butter the lining of four cocottes
6. Fill each cocotte with the salmon and ricotta mixture, making a small indentation in the center of each
7. Carefully crack an egg into the indentation in each cocotte’s salmon and ricotta mixture
8. Place the cocottes in a baking dish with boiling water halfway up the sides
9. Bake at 180°C for 15 minutes
10. Garnish with freshly ground black pepper and a the remaining fresh dill
11. Serve with the grilled bread

 

We hope that our best three smoked salmon Christmas recipes surprise and delight your - and your friends and families’ - taste buds and appetites this festive season.

As with all dishes centered around smoked salmon, the salmon is the hero ingredient. And a hero ingredient deserves being of the highest quality possible. Smokin’ Brothers smoked salmon is sourced from the Scottish Highlands, with sustainability and quality assurance at the backbone of every stage of bringing this delicacy to your home.

You can learn more about Smokin’ Brothers smoked salmon here.

From all of us at Smokin’ Brothers, may we take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas, and a blessed New Year!