Smoked Salmon Cups With Cucumber & Dill

Smoked Salmon Cups With Cucumber and Dill make for a light and refreshing appetizer, fit for an afternoon brunch or for anyone that gets that random smoked salmon craving from time to time.

When I made this appetizer, I asked myself what I like in my sushi. Weird, I know… because there isn't any rice or nori in it. But, it's one of the only smoked salmon dishes that my palette currently appreciates so I figured that was a good place to start.

I say these are good for an afternoon brunch because when I think of smoked salmon, I either think of sushi, like I said, or those little sandwiches you get at a tea party. They aren't meant to be wildly filling (trust me, my fiance and I each ate probably 20 of these collectively) and are perfect for those days where you anticipate munching on a variety of things.

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If you have the time and don't mind working with fillo, I would recommend making the cups by hand. Three to four layers is optimal since the dough is SUPER fragile and easy to tear. I use Athen's fillo dough, which you can find in the frozen food aisle near the fruits. If you don't want to make the cups yourself, you can always buy them pre-shaped. If you go this route, be sure to bake them as per the instructions on the box before filling with the rest of the ingredients.

If you choose to make the cups by hand, you may either brush each layer with a bit of melted butter or water, or simply spray lightly with cooking spray. The moisture will help the cups take and keep their form in the muffin tin. You don't need to worry about layering each sheet of dough corner to corner because a little disorganization makes for a pretty, flaky cup.

If you are looking for other easy appetizer ideas, try my Tomato Bruschetta With Garlic and Basil or my Spring Rolls with Sweet & Spicy Dipping Sauce!

Smoked Salmon Cups With Cucumber & Dill

Ingredients

Smoked salmon
Fillo dough
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1 tbsp sour cream
1 tsp lemon zest
2 tsp fresh dill
Juice of 1 wedge lemon
1/2 cucumber, diced
Pepper to taste

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Make fillo cups by placing one sheet of dough on a flat surface, brushing with melted butter, water or cooking spray, and layering sheet by sheet until you reach your desired thickness (3-4 at least). Shape the layered dough into a cup form by gently pressing down into a small non-stick muffin tin. Repeat this process until the tin is full. Bake cups for 4-6 minutes, or until lightly golden.
2. In a small bowl, mix the softened cream cheese, sour cream, lemon zest, fresh dill and lemon juice. Fill a pastry bag or a Ziploc bag with the mixture. If using a Ziploc, cut a small hole into one corner. This will be used to fill the cups.
3. Fill each cup about halfway with the cream cheese mixture. Add 3-4 pieces of diced cucumber and top with a small piece of smoked salmon. Garnish with more dill and a small sprinkle of pepper.