Smoked Salmon Canapés with Asparagus

🤔 What are Canapés?

Canapés are small, bite-sized appetizers that typically consist of a base (such as a cracker, bread, or pastry), a spread and/or topping (such as cheese, pâté, or smoked salmon), and a garnish (such as fresh herbs or vegetables).

They are often served at cocktail parties or other social events as an hors d'oeuvres, but are equally welcome at a casual Sunday brunch.

These small bites are great because they're easy to eat with one hand, while balancing a drink (like my sparkling cranberry punch) in the other.

Canapés can be made with a wide range of ingredients and flavours, making them versatile and fun to put together.

📖 Recipe Variations

Like most canapé or crostini recipes, this one is easy to modify to suit your preferences. Here are some variations that you can try.

The Base:

This canapé recipe is technically also a crostini, which is a small bite made of toasted bread with toppings. I love putting asparagus on toast, and these are basically just a mini version.

I've used Melba toast crackers here as a shortcut for the crostini base. If you're not a fan of Melba toast or Paris toast, though, here are some other options you can use:

• Thin slices of rye or pumpernickel bread, cut into circles and toasted (for a stronger flavor profile)
• Your favorite plain cracker
• Thin slices of baguette bread, toasted
• Puff pastry, cut into circles and baked
• Sturdy slices of fresh cucumber (for a low-carb alternative)

Feel free to experiment with different bases and find the perfect option to complement your toppings.

*Making crostinis (or canapés) out of baguettes works really well. I used baguettes as the base of these roasted tomato crostinis and they turned out great!

The Spread:

I personally enjoy the combination of cream cheese, capers, dill and lemon in the spread, but you can definitely customize it to suit your preferences. Here are some ideas:

• For a pop of colour and flavour, add some finely diced red onion
• Swap out the cream cheese for crème fraîche to add a different kind of tanginess
• Make the spread even tastier by using a flavoured cream cheese, such as herb and garlic

The Toppings:

Although the toppings for this appetizer are relatively straightforward, there are still some ways that you can mix things up.

• For a crispier texture, pan-fry the asparagus instead of blanching them.
• If you prefer classic smoked salmon canapés, simply omit the asparagus and stick to the traditional recipe.
• If you or any of your guests aren't fond of smoked salmon, consider using cooked shrimp instead for a delicious alternative.

The Garnish:

While the garnish might seem like a fussy extra step, it can actually do a lot to elevate the look of your canapé, and provide an extra layer of flavour.

• Use fennel fronds instead of dill for a sweeter flavour
• Omit the lemon zest on top if it feels too fussy (there's already some in the spread)

🥣 Making the Canapé Spread

Not only does this cream cheese spread hold the canapé together, it's also a great place to add a ton of flavour to these small bites.

When I first created this recipe, I used regular spreadable cream cheese (the kind you get in a tub, not the brick). That works pretty well, but recently I discovered that whipped cream cheese works so much better!

The light texture of whipped cream cheese pairs better with the delicate texture of cold-smoked salmon.

You can usually find whipped cream cheese in the dairy section of your grocery. If you can't find it, or would rather use a brick of cream cheese that you already have at home, you can make your own whipped cream cheese by beating it with some cream.

That being said, if you'd still rather use regular cream cheese you can. Just let it come up to room temperature first so it's easier to work with.

Tip: Mix the cream cheese spread ahead of time and keep it in the fridge until you're ready to assemble your canapés.

🐟 Types of Cured Salmon

Salmon is the star of this canapé recipe, and the type of salmon you use will significantly change the overall flavour of the dish.

I used cold-smoked salmon when I made this recipe, but there are a few different types of cured salmons that you can buy, so I wanted to take a moment to explain what they are and the differences between them.

• Cold-Smoked Salmon: salmon that has been cured (or brined) and then smoked at a low temperature for several hours. It has a smoky and salty flavour with a delicate texture. Also known as "Nova lox", but could be sold as "smoked sockeye salmon" or "smoked Pacific salmon".
• Lox: another form of preserved salmon, but instead of being smoked it is just cured (or brined) with salt. It has a similarly delicate texture to smoked salmon and works well in this recipe. This is sometimes sold as "bagel lox".
• Gravlax: usually cured with salt, sugar, dill and other spices. If you like a bit of sweetness, you can use gravlax. This Scandinavian preparation of lox is thinly sliced and delicate.
• Hot-Smoked Salmon (Kippered Salmon): smoked at a higher temperature, it creates a flaky texture like cooked salmon. It's usually sold in thick portions or chunks, making it a poor replacement for the soft thin slices of salmon that you need for this appetizer.

⚠️ Food Safety

Smoked salmon can spoil very quickly!

You should defrost frozen packages of smoked salmon overnight in your fridge, not on your counter. Especially when the weather is warm.

Only defrost what you need and leave it in the fridge so it stays fresh until you're ready to use it.Refrigerate unused portions promptly and use within the recommended time frame on the package.

Also, cured fish products may not be safe for pregnant women to consume. Please check with your medical team to get more information.