Irish Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese Stacks

Neven Maguire, Chef and owner of MacNean House Restaurant and Cooking school in the village of Blacklion, County Cavan in Ireland.

1 8oz package of cream cheese
2 tbsp finely diced cucumber (peeled & seeded)
1 tbsp finely diced radish
1 tbsp snipped fresh chives
2 tsp horseradish sauce
1 tsp English Mustard
12-18 slices of brown soda bread
( each about 1/8-1/4in ) thick
1 x 200g (7oz) packet of smoked salmon slices
sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
lightly dressed mixed salad leaves, to garnish

For the Pickled red onion
4 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp extra fine granulated sugar
1 red onion, cut into fine wedges

1.   Put the cream cheese in a bowl and mix in the cucumber, radish, chives, horseradish sauce and mustard. Season to taste.
2.   Cut out rounds from the soda bread that are each about 6cm (21/4”) in diameter - you’ll need three for each stack. Repeat with the smoked salmon.
3.   To make the pickled red onion, put the vinegar in a bowl and stir in the sugar to dissolve. Add the onion wedges and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for at least 10 minutes, or up to 8 hours is fine.
4.   To serve, place a round of soda bread on each plate. Top each one with 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture, followed by a round of smoked salmon. Repeat until you have three layers in each stack. Add a spoonful of the pickled red onion and garnish with the salad to serve.

Rachel Gaffney
www.rachelgaffneys.com/