Looking for something a little extra special to make this New Years Eve for a cozy night at home? Enjoy this savoury smoked salmon dip with roasted garlic crostini developed by none other than our beloved contributor Marcella DiLonardo. Add a bottle of your favourite, local VQA sparkling wine to compliment the beautiful blend of flavours from this delicious recipe.
Perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, this recipe can also be served for a New Year’s Day brunch appetizer as well. Marcella says, “The roasted garlic takes a little extra time to prepare, although this step can easily be done days in advance. It brings out a sweet, caramelized, and subtle garlic flavour compared to using raw garlic, it’s a great addition to any savoury recipe. Use locally grown garlic for the best flavour and roast a few extra heads of garlic for yourself because you are going to want to have extra on hand (trust me). Lastly, the recipe includes Crème fraîche for a richer and less tangy flavour as Crème fraîche has a higher fat content than sour cream, but if unavailable using a full-fat sour cream will do the trick!”
For the Dip:
Step 1
To a food processor add the cream cheese, crème fraîche, garlic, capers, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt & pepper. Pulse until smooth, about 2 minutes.
Step 2
Transfer to a mixing bowl. Fold in chives & smoked salmon. Season to taste with additional salt & pepper.
Step 3
Transfer dip to desired serving bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with fresh chives & garnish with a slice of lemon. Serve with roasted garlic crostini's.
For the Crostini:
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 425 (f) degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2
In a small mixing bowl mix together garlic, olive oil, salt & pepper until well blended.
Step 3
Brush baguette slices with mixture & transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
Step 4
Bake until crispy & golden, about 6 to 8 minutes. Set aside until ready to serve!
*NOTE: To roast the garlic heat oven to 400 (f) degrees. Slice the top off of each head of garlic & peel away any loose layers. Drizzle generously with olive oil & wrap cloves in aluminum foil. Roast for 50 to 60 minutes, until soft & caramelized.