Recipe: Welcome the new year with smoked salmon tartines topped with crunchy salad garnishes

Serves 8

These open-faced smoked salmon tartines with herby cream cheese, cucumber rounds, pickled red onion, and capers will ring in the new year with a nod to healthier eating. Might as well jump-start your January resolutions. Tartines as they are served in France for breakfast are buttered pieces of baguette with jam. Now there are all kinds of sweet and savory versions. The salmon here is cold-smoked, which means it’s cured and then smoked (lox is cured in a salt brine, but not smoked). Cold-smoke gives the salmon a light, smoky taste; use whatever smoked salmon you can find. Layer it on hollowed out pieces of baguette with all the garnishes and raise a glass to the year ahead.

ONION

½	cup distilled white vinegar
¼	cup water
3	tablespoons sugar
½	teaspoon kosher salt
½	red onion, halved and thinly sliced

1. In a microwave safe bowl or a measuring cup large enough to hold the liquids and onion, combine the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt. Microwave on high for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the sugar dissolves.

2. Stir in the sliced onions and return the bowl or cup to the microwave. Cover with plastic wrap and cook for 1 minute. Let stand for about 15 minutes, or until cool.

TARTINES

1	baguette
8	ounces whipped cream cheese
2	tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2	tablespoons finely sliced fresh chives
1	tablespoon chopped fresh dill
3	packages (4 ounces each) cold smoked salmon
½	English cucumber, thinly sliced
3	tablespoons capers, drained
	Extra dill or a handful of microgreens (for garnish)

1. Cut the baguette into 4 even pieces. Cut each piece lengthwise, so you have 8 pieces of bread. Hollow out each piece by tearing out most of the soft crumb in the middle.

2. In a bowl, stir together the cream cheese, parsley, chives, and dill until blended. Spread about 1 rounded tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture over the bottom of each baguette piece.

3. Cut the salmon into even pieces and place one on each piece of bread. If it is thick, you can thinly slice it or flake it. Arrange the cucumbers, capers, and pickled onions on top. Sprinkle with dill or microgreens. Serve at room temperature.

Sally Pasley Vargas

Serves 8

These open-faced smoked salmon tartines with herby cream cheese, cucumber rounds, pickled red onion, and capers will ring in the new year with a nod to healthier eating. Might as well jump-start your January resolutions. Tartines as they are served in France for breakfast are buttered pieces of baguette with jam. Now there are all kinds of sweet and savory versions. The salmon here is cold-smoked, which means it’s cured and then smoked (lox is cured in a salt brine, but not smoked). Cold-smoke gives the salmon a light, smoky taste; use whatever smoked salmon you can find. Layer it on hollowed out pieces of baguette with all the garnishes and raise a glass to the year ahead.

ONION

½	cup distilled white vinegar
¼	cup water
3	tablespoons sugar
½	teaspoon kosher salt
½	red onion, halved and thinly sliced

1. In a microwave safe bowl or a measuring cup large enough to hold the liquids and onion, combine the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt. Microwave on high for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the sugar dissolves.

2. Stir in the sliced onions and return the bowl or cup to the microwave. Cover with plastic wrap and cook for 1 minute. Let stand for about 15 minutes, or until cool.

TARTINES

1	baguette
8	ounces whipped cream cheese
2	tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2	tablespoons finely sliced fresh chives
1	tablespoon chopped fresh dill
3	packages (4 ounces each) cold smoked salmon
½	English cucumber, thinly sliced
3	tablespoons capers, drained
	Extra dill or a handful of microgreens (for garnish)

1. Cut the baguette into 4 even pieces. Cut each piece lengthwise, so you have 8 pieces of bread. Hollow out each piece by tearing out most of the soft crumb in the middle.

2. In a bowl, stir together the cream cheese, parsley, chives, and dill until blended. Spread about 1 rounded tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture over the bottom of each baguette piece.

3. Cut the salmon into even pieces and place one on each piece of bread. If it is thick, you can thinly slice it or flake it. Arrange the cucumbers, capers, and pickled onions on top. Sprinkle with dill or microgreens. Serve at room temperature.Sally Pasley Vargas