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Cucumber Canapés

(recipe, Carrie Floyd)

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Introduction

This elegant appetizer is an easy one to throw together at the last minute.

Ingredients

1. 2 English cucumbers
2. 8 oz. mascarpone
3. 1 lemon, zested and juiced
4. 2 Tbsp. chopped chives
5. Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6. 6 oz. smoked salmon, broken into bite-size pieces

Steps

1. Wash and peel the cucumbers, leaving small stripes of peel. Slice cucumber into diagonal wedges, about ½-inch thick. Set aside.
2. Place the mascarpone, lemon zest, chives, and a pinch of salt in medium bowl. Add a tablespoon of the lemon juice along with several grinds of black pepper. Stir until smooth, then taste. (I like the spread lemony and peppery, so I often add all of the lemon juice and lots of black pepper; adjust according to your taste.)
3. Spread a generous spoonful of the mascarpone onto each cucumber wedge. Top with bits of flaked salmon. Garnish with an extra twist of black pepper.