Smoked Salmon Pate

 Simple and delicious!  Smoked salmon pate is simply a soft creamy fresh cheese mixed with very finely minced smoked salmon.  The great flavor of smoked salmon does not need to be complicated with herbs or spices.  A soft Norwegian style smoked salmon is best for making pate.  Dried out, over cooked salmon is better for other recipes.
     Recipe:  Very finely mince about 4 ounces of soft smoked salmon.
     Place the minced smoked salmon into a mixing bowl.
     Add an equal amount of soft Neufchatel Cheese.
     Thoroughly mash the smoked salmon and the neufchatel cheese together with a spoon.
     Place the smoked salmon pate into a star tipped pastry bag.
     Pipe the smoked salmon pate into a small ramekin.
     Set the ramekin on top of a few baby mixed lettuce leaves on a plate.
     Garnish the salmon pate with a lime slice and a scallion floret garnish.
     Garnish the plate with petite little spoonfuls of fine chopped hard boiled egg, capers, fine diced tomato and fine diced onion.
     Very thin slice a petite Italian bread baguette. 
     Brush each slice with melted unsalted butter. 
     Grill the buttered bread slices in a saute pan over medium heat till the bread is toasted golden brown. 
     Set the petite crostini slices on the border of the plate.
     The salmon pate is smooth, silky and spreadable.  The classic smoked salmon garnishes add a variety of nice accompanying flavors.  The soft, creamy, neufchatel cheese is much lighter than standard cream cheese and the flavor is more delicate.  Hand mincing the salmon is not difficult.  The hand chopped pate in the picture is very smooth and silky.  Smoked salmon pate is easy to make!  Elegant and very tasty!  ...  Shawna