Potato Bites with Smoked Salmon

An easy appetizer with an elegant appearance, tiny potato halves stuffed with smoked salmon in a sour cream & horseradish sauce.

This appetizer recipe is so quick and easy
that I'm adding it to a special collection of easy summer recipes
published throughout the summer of 2009.
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"Let the skie raine Potatoes," for what would we be 
without you — lost in a sea of fried turnips, 
mashed beets, roasted parsnips?
~ excerpt from Ode to the Potato
by poet Barbara Hamby via Writer's Almanac

The poor potato, loved and devoured, avoided and even reviled. When I visited the St Paul farmers market a couple of years ago, the stands held dozens of potato varieties, all sizes and colors and nubbly shapes. More and more, I realize how our industrialized food system cheats us, especially, of variety.

Tiny bites of potato start with – no surprise – tiny potatoes. They are most easily found this time of year as ‘new’ potatoes. I pick through the potato bin for the smallest potatoes all about the same size, glad for instant portion size management. To quote guests at a recent party, "These are GOOD!"

ALANNA's TIPS Refrigerating the potatoes after cooking removes some of the moisture and makes it easier to both slice the potatoes and to scoop out some of the flesh. A grapefruit spoon’s serrated edge makes it ever so useful for scooping out vegetables to stuff. One costs only a couple of dollars and comes in handy often. No piping bag? No problem. Just spoon the filling into a small freezer bag and snip off a corner. Smoked salmon can be pricey. I get it at Trader Joe’s where a small package fits my budget.

POTATO BITES
with SMOKED SALMON RECIPE

Hands-on time: 25 minutes
Time to table: 2 hours
Makes 24, easily halved or doubled
  • 12 tiny red potatoes, scrubbed well
    FILLING
  • 4 tablespoons sour cream
  • 4 teaspoons minced red onion
  • 2 teaspoons capers, chopped if large
  • 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
  • 3-1/2 ounces smoked salmon
    GARNISH
  • 1/2 ounce smoked salmon
  • Fresh dill, chopped, optional

POTATOES Boil the potatoes in well-salted water until cooked clear through, drain, cool and refrigerate. Slice the potatoes in half and scoop out the centers.

FILLING Stir together the filling ingredients and refrigerate to let the flavors meld until ready to fill.

ASSEMBLE & GARNISH Up to an hour or so before serving, use a piping bag (for a neat appearance) or a spoon (for something more rustic) to fill the potato halves. Top with a bit of salmon and if you like, some fresh dill. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE Per Half/Per Three Halves: 22/66Cal; 1/2g Tot Fat; 0g Sat Fat; 1/4mg Cholesterol; 28/84mg Sodium; 4/11g Carb; 0/1g Fiber; 0g Sugar; 1/3g Protein; Weight Watchers 0/1 points
Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food columnist Alanna Kellogg
and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating
and occasional indulgences.
In 2009, Kitchen Parade celebrates its 50th anniversary with a special collection of my mother's recipes.
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Your Comments:

Another way to save on smoked salmon is something my mom does - when she goes to the fish store, instead of buying the smoked salmon slices, the kind you might find in a prepackaged thingy in a grocery store, she buys the trimmings for a fraction of the price. Same fish, same quality, but without the pretty shape. If you're going to put it on a bagel, though - or in a recipe like this one! - you don't need a big wide slab anyway.
Anonymous camille on 8/28/2009
 
Is it ok to substitute shallots for the red onion?
Anonymous David Mendelson on 9/30/2009
 
Camille ~ thanks for the great tip, I'm going to check the fish store next visit

David ~ Red onion are 'traditional' and add color but for the onion flavor alone, shallots will certainly do the trick! Enjoy!
Blogger Alanna on 10/01/2009