Sockeye Salmon Crostini

Bread:
If you start with a baguette, cut it into 1/4 inch slices. Spread the slices over a half sheet pan or cookie sheet.

Salmon:
Skin and debone the salmon if need be. Slice the salmon across the fillet (top to bottom) to get a long square strip. The width of the slice should be equal to the thickness of the salmon. We want a nice square piece of fish. Next, slice off 1/4″ thick pieces until you reach the thinner belly portion of the fillet. Here you have to work a little to cut the squares the same shape as the rest, but it can be done. Don’t give up! Salmon belly is fattier and tastier than any other part of the fillet. Cut as many pieces as you have crostini.

Cream Cheese:
In your food processor, mix the cream cheese, onion, pepper and 3 tablespoons of the capers. Puree until smooth. Add salt to taste. Load the cream cheese mix into a pastry bag with an 1/8″ tip or a 1-quart Ziploc with one of the lower corners snipped off to 1/8″. (Note: I own a lot of kitchen gadgets, but I always use zip top bags for piping.)

Assembly:
On each crostini, center one piece of fish. Pipe a dab of the cream cheese mix on top of the fish. Not too much, let the edges of the fish show. You’re looking for a pyramid of bread, fish, cream cheese, and garnish. Add 2-3 capers to each as the garnish or substitute small sprigs of dill weed, parsley, or cilantro. Capers can go on before the broiler, dill, parsley or cilantro after.

Cooking:
Set your broiler to high. Once it’s hot, place the sheet pan under the broiler for 4-6 minutes. You have to watch it. You want the edges of the crostini browned, the exposed edge of the fish cooked and the cream cheese starting to spread. Garnish and serve hot.

Optional:
Add red pepper flakes to the cream cheese mix.

Notes:
Sockeye works well because the fillets are about 5/8″ thick, resulting in a 5/8″ square by 1/4″ thick piece of fish. If you use Chinook (King) salmon, go for larger bread and it might be a 3-bite appetizer.