Recipe: Smoked Salmon with Red Onion Relish

This recipe is from the upcoming cookbook, Decades Of Decadence, by Rebecca Klemke.

Read Rebecca's introduction to the recipe:

‘Wow’ is the comment I get most frequently when people taste these delicate little bites. It appears to be a traditional smoked salmon hors d’oeuvre, but has an extra little zing that really pops. I serve Red Onion Relish on smoked salmon on all occasions and sometimes I indulge in a taste of it with lunch alongside a salad dressed with my lemon vinaigrette. Use leftover red onion relish in a salad, on mixed tuna fish or served over a fresh simply seared or grilled white fish.

The key to the Red Onion Relish is to sliver the red onion, cutting it paper-thin; use a mandoline to make slicing the onion 1 mm thick a quick and easy process.

Red Onion Relish

Yield: 1/2 cup

1/2 red onion (about 2/3 cup) sliced paper-thin

1 tbsp. fresh parsley, finely chopped

2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp. lemon rind, grated

Pinch of salt and pepper

For Putting It Together

1 loaf pumpernickel bread, cocktail style or a sour dough baguette, sliced and toasted or made into crostini

Cream cheese (optional but suggested)

Smoked salmon, thinly sliced

Capers, drained

Smoked Salmon with Red Onion Relish Assembly Directions

Slice the red onion paper-thin (1mm slices) using a mandolin.

In a bowl or sealable jar, combine all ingredients for red onion relish and season with salt and pepper. Marinate relish for at least 4 hours. Stir occasionally. Relish will keep 3–4 days refrigerated.

Note: red onion relish should look moist. If using a dry or older (as in not so fresh) onion that absorbs all the liquid in the recipe, add a little more lemon juice and olive oil.

On the bread layer cream cheese, if desired, smoked salmon and a spoon of red onion relish. Top with a few capers.

Suggested Wine Pairings

William Fèvre 2008 Champs Royaux

Yellowglen N/V Pink

Blue Mountain 2009 Chardonnay