Smoked salmon, labneh & pomegranate on oat cakes
Regal New Zealand King Salmon recommends its Beech Wood Smoked Salmon for this recipe. It is cured in a sea salt and brown sugar mix, then smoked slowly at a low temperature over beech wood.
The result is a velvety texture with a vibrant color and faint sea salt aroma, leaving a lingering, mild and sweet smokiness.
INGREDIENTS
– 7 oz. Regal Cold Smoked Salmon
Labneh:
– 17 oz. Greek yoghurt
– 1 tsp sea salt
Oat Cakes:
– 1 cup rolled oats
– 4.5oz butter, cubed
– 1 cup plain flour
– 1 tsp baking powder
– 1 tbsp brown sugar
– 1/4 tsp salt
– 1 tsp za’atar
– 1/2 tsp cinnamon
– 1/4 cup milk
To Serve:
– 1 pomegranate, cut in half, seeds removed
– 4-5 sprigs fresh mint
METHOD
Labneh:
• Mix the salt into the Greek yoghurt.
• Line a sieve with a piece of clean muslin or cheesecloth.
• Spoon the Greek yogurt and salt into the cheesecloth, and fold over to cover.
• Leave to drain in the sieve or if possible, hang the cheesecloth in fridge over a bowl (to catch drained liquid), for at least 2 hours or overnight. It should turn into a soft cheese.
Oat Cakes:
• Place the rolled oats in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
• Add the butter, flour, baking powder, brown sugar, salt, za’atar and cinnamon. Pulse until combined.
• Add the cold milk a little at a time and pulse until the mix comes together as a dough ball.
• Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
• When ready to cook preheat the oven to 320°F.
• Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until 0.25 in. (6 mm) thick.
• Cut into 1.5 in. (4 cm) rounds with a cookie cutter and place on baking trays lined with non-stick baking paper.
• Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.
• Cool on wire racks.
To assemble the canapé:
• Top each oat cracker with a teaspoonful of labneh then a thin slice of Regal Smoked Salmon.
• Arrange some of the fresh pomegranate seeds and small mint leaves on top.
> Suggested wine paring: a New Zealand Pinot Gris
