Wedding Appetizers - Part II

Now's here's a couple of appetizers that I didn't try but only because I rarely eat fish, and when I put on my big girl pants and try again, it's merely to take a sample to ensure reaffirm, yep, I don't like fish.  However, because I'm that kind of girl, I will prepare fish and seafood for others but I have to rely on the taste buds of others to tell me whether or not something is good.  Hence, Allrecipes.com and Food.com (formerly Recipezaar) have become a valued resources for me in trying new recipes.  People can be pretty honest in their opinions if a recipe is delicious or not.  Here are two that were very well received, definite 4 star if not 5 star quality.

Salmon Dip
(Food.com)

2 cans shrimp **
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 dash Worcestershire sauce
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, plus 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon horseradish
2 teaspoons ketchup
2 teaspoons dill weed

Prepare one day in advance:  In a medium sized bowl combine all ingredients. (The original decorations don't say to, but I roughly chopped the shrimp.)    Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Ordinarily, I think this dip is probably served with crackers, but I wanted something a little more festive looking and I didn't want the guests to have to scoop and possibly spill.  As a base for the dip, I used English cucumbers, sliced about 3/4 of an inch thick and dolloped a good teaspoonful or so of the dip on each slice, topping with a whole piece of shrimp.  In retrospect, I think it would have been nice to slice the cucumber peel off in strips, to add just a wee bit more color and visual appeal, and perhaps a sprig of fresh dill as well. 


**I don't like the flavor of canned shrimp so I used a one-pound bag of frozen baby shrimp and eyeballed the amount to use, reserving perhaps one quarter of the shrimp to use as a decorative touch.

Smoked Salmon Spread in Wonton Cones & The Elsea Family Salami Roll-Ups

This had to be the prettiest of the platters that was put out.  Ole Sweetie-Pi's oldest daughter Erin was the artist for this platter, and when she was done we all oohed and aaahed over it.  The colors completed each other, the presentation was appealing and delicious looking; this platter was among the first to be emptied.

Smoked Salmon Spread
(Allrecipes.com)

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened **
12 ounces smoked salmon, chopped
3 dashes Worcestershire sauce
3 drops hot pepper sauce
1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill weed
2 tablespoons chopped green onion

At least one day ahead, in a medium bowl, stir cream cheese until it is no longer in a hard form. Add salmon, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce, dill and onion; mix well. Cover and refrigerate until serving time.  Typically served with crackers,  I served this in  baked wonton cones.

**I reduced the amount of cream cheese in this to one 8-ounce package but followed the remainder of the recipe.  The salmon flavor really stood out, but you may want to add more cream  cheese for your tastes.

The baked wonton cones are pretty easy to make with a little time and patience.  Purchase a package of wonton wrappers (usually found in the refrigerated vegetable section of your grocers, with tofu and such) .  Preheat your oven to 350* Fahrehenheit. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Place a wonton wrapper on a work surface with one corner facing you,  roll into a cone.  Gently stuff a ball of crumbled tinfoil into the open end.  Place seam side down and bake for about 15 minutes, checking maybe at 12 minutes to see how they're coming along.  You can also use those fancy metal cone molds used for Italian pastries, or even paper cones.  The cones are fragile but can be stored a couple of days in an airtight container until ready to use.

The Elsea Family Salami Roll-Ups

I should be ashamed of myself for including this appetizer at Liz and Jerrad's wedding.  Liz had given everyone dire warnings about "no redneck" foods and these salami roll-ups easily fall into that category.  However, these roll-ups were a favorite of the matriarch of the family and have been included in nearly every family event since the 1960's when they were first introduced to the Elseas; on tradition alone these could not be omitted.

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (10-ounce) jar sweet red pepper relish
1/2 pound (or so) sliced hard salami

Mix the cream cheese and about three-quarters of the sweet pepper relish together until well combined.  The mixture will be lumpy but try to make sure that there aren't any big lumps of cream cheese remaining.  Spread the mixture onto a slice of  salami and roll up as a jelly roll.  Hold together with a toothpick. 

Thank you, Sweet Erin. Your gracious help was invaluable!  Hugs!!