Smoked Salmon Pinwheels Appetizer

Make the Cream Cheese Filling: To the bowl of a food processor, add the cream cheese, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, and a heaping ½ teaspoon lemon zest. Season with a pinch of sea salt and pepper. Cover the bowl and process the ingredients until they're whipped and fully combined. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the bottom and the sides of the bowl. Then, process the ingredients again for 30 seconds. Add the chives, dill, and capers to the bowl. Pulse until the herbs are finely chopped and the cream cheese filling is well blended. Set aside in the refrigerator. (Make ahead tip: Cover the cream cheese and store in fridge up to 3 days.) (Optional: Set aside a few tablespoons of the cream cheese filling if you plan on serving the pinwheels on crackers.)

Start Smoked Salmon Roll: Place a large piece of plastic wrap down on a clean work surface, making sure it’s at least 16 inches long. Lay the slices of smoked salmon on the plastic wrap, overlapping the pieces and arranging the salmon to form a long rectangle about 12-inches-long and 6 inches wide. Gently press down on the salmon to adhere the pieces together.

Add Cream Cheese Filling and Veggies: Remove the cream cheese mixture from the fridge and dollop it all over the center of the salmon. Use a rubber spatula to gently spread the mixture all over the salmon, leaving a small boarder around one long edge bare. If using vegetables in your filling, evenly lay the julienne slices of veggies on top of the cream cheese, along the long edge of the salmon closest to you. (Tip: The bare edge will act as your seal. Keep the bare long edge AWAY from you.)

Roll the Smoked Salmon Appetizer: Starting at the long end with the julienne veggies, tightly roll the smoked salmon into a log - jellyroll style, up and over the filling. Use the plastic wrap to help get the roll started, peeling the plastic away from the salmon as you roll - so the plastic wrap is always on the OUTSIDE of the roll. (Tip: Take your time and roll the salmon as tightly as you can, using your fingers and the plastic wrap to tuck the filling in while rolling the salmon up and over the cream cheese. The pinwheel must be tightly rolled to hold together.)

Wrap and Chill Salmon Roll: Tightly wrap the log of smoked salmon and cream cheese in the plastic wrap. Transfer to the fridge and chill for at least 1 ½ hours to firm, or overnight. Alternatively, place the salmon roll in the freezer for 25-45 minutes. (Note: Chilling the roll is essential as it firms it up, making it MUCH easier to slice. I prefer the freezer method.)

Slice Smoked Salmon Roll into Pinwheels: Transfer the salmon roll to a clean cutting board. Remove and discard the plastic wrap. Use a sharp slicing knife to cut the smoked salmon roll into thick ¾ to 1-inch-wide pinwheels.

Serve Smoked Salmon Pinwheel Appetizer: Arrange the crackers on a serving tray and top with cucumber rounds. Place an individual smoked salmon pinwheel on top of each cucumber. Garnish each smoked salmon appetizer with a sprig of fresh dill and enjoy!