Also: Cucumber, Radish and Watercress Tea Sandwiches.
OPEN-FACED SMOKED SALMON SANDWICHES
Makes 8 open-faced sandwiches.
Note: From "The Gourmet Cookbook" edited by Ruth Reichl (Houghton Mifflin, $40).
For scrambled eggs:
• 10 eggs
• 2 oz. cream cheese, cut into pieces and at room temperature
• Salt and freshly ground white pepper
• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
For sandwiches:
• 4 tbsp. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 8 slices rye bread
• 2 c. thinly sliced English cucumbers
• 3/4 c. finely chopped red bell pepper
• 1 lb. thinly sliced smoked salmon
• 8 thin lemon slices
Directions
To prepare scrambled eggs: Whisk together eggs, cream cheese and salt and white pepper to taste in a bowl until cream cheese breaks up into very small pieces. In a 10-inch skillet over medium heat, melt butter until foam subsides. Add eggs and cook, stirring constantly, until just cooked through. Transfer eggs to a plate and cool.
To prepare sandwiches: Spread butter on bread and arrange cucumber slices, overlapping slightly, on top. Spoon eggs over cucumber and top with bell pepper, salmon and lemon slices.
CUCUMBER, RADISH AND WATERCRESS TEA SANDWICHES
Makes 24 sandwiches.
Note: From "The Bon Appetit Cookbook" edited by Barbara Fairchild (Wiley, $34.95).
9 oz. fresh goat cheese, at room temperature
1/2 c. chopped watercress
1 tsp. white truffle oil, optional
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
12 very thin slices white bread
1 bunch radishes, very thinly sliced, divided
1/2 English cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
Directions
In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine goat cheese and watercress (and truffle oil, optional) and pulse until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place bread on a work surface. Spread each slice with goat cheese mixture, dividing equally. Set aside 24 radish slices for garnish. Top 6 bread slices with cucumber slices, then remaining radish slices. Sprinkle with pepper. Top with remaining bread slices, cheese side down. Trim sandwich crusts. Cut each sandwich into 4 squares. Transfer to a platter, top each sandwich with a radish slice and serve.
