John -- One month is great and all I'd need for leftovers.
Don -- Oh yes, smoked salmon salad is high on our list. Hadn't thought of using the slightly over-the-hill salmon for that, but it's a great option.
Here's a canape that always disappears quickly -- hope everyone enjoys it:
SMOKED SALMON CANAPES
8 ounces cream cheese (not lower fat type), softened
3 scallions, finely chopped (1/3 cup, 1.1 oz, 31 g)
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill (1 1/2 T, 4 g)
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice (9 g)
1/2 teaspoon grated lime zest (2 g)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
Piping bag fitted with a #22 star tip.
1. ONE DAY AHEAD, MAKE CREAM CHEESE SPREAD. In a medium mixing bowl, whip the softened cream cheese until fluffy. Add the scallions, dill, lime juice and zest, and pepper. Beat until incorporated. Note - the mixture should be well-seasoned and the dill flavor will become stronger as it stands. Put mixture into a piping bag fitted with a #22 star tip and refrigerate overnight.
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Thinly sliced dense pumpernickel bread
Crackers: Remner Wafers (green box), Carr's Water Crackers
2. BREAD. Trim off crusts and cut into squares, or use cutters to cut into semi-circles, rounds, or triangles.
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The bread rounds
Cream cheese mixture
The smoked salmon (Bourbon & Brown Sugar Smoked Salmon)
3. UP TO ONE DAY AHEAD, ASSEMBLE CANAP?S. Pipe cream cheese mixture onto bread cutouts or crackers. Wearing gloves (or your hands will smell of smoke), remove skin from salmon and gently break salmon apart into large flakes. Pile generously on top of cream cheese. Arrange on serving platter. Cover with plastic; refrigerate.
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Garnish: Black sesame seeds and chopped chives or scallion greens
4. GARNISH. Sprinkle with black sesame seeds and chives.