YIELDS:
2 servings
PREP TIME:
COOK TIME:
TOTAL TIME:
ingredients
2 Cups mixed lettuce leaves
6 Oz. Smoked salmon (see my notes)
1 Lemon, cut in half – one half thinly sliced
1 Tbsp. wholegrain mustard
3 Tbsp. olive oil
Kosher Salt and Freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. Fresh chives, chopped for garnish
For the pancakes
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 Cup Wondra flour
1/2 Cup 2% milk
1 Tbsp. chives, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Cooking spray
DIRECTIONS
1) Make the dressing by whisking the olive oil into the wholegrain mustard in a measuring cup until emulsified. Add the juice of half the lemon and season with salt and pepper to taste and then set aside.
3) Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium high heat. Spray the pan with cooking spray. Pour about 1/3 cup of the pancake batter into the pan and swirl to cover the bottom of the skillet. This is a very thin pancake so tilt the pan to cover the bottom. Cook for about 1 min, then flip and cook for thirty more seconds until done. Place on a on a plate until you’ve made all the pancakes. You will get two – four pancakes out of the batter. One pancake is a perfect serving but no one ever complains about two!!!
4) You are now ready to assemble your appetizer. Arrange the lettuce leaves on one side of the plate. Fold each pancake into quarters and place one or two pancakes next to the lettuce. Top the pancakes with some of the cut chives and a slice of the lemon. Then top that with the smoked salmon. Drizzle the mustard dressing over the salmon, pancakes and lettuce leaves and serve.
NOTE: This is an elegant starter to any meal and a favorite in Ireland. Simply made with just a couple of quality ingredients is the ticket. This dish comes down to the smoked salmon and if you can buy authentic Wild Irish Salmon, even better. Here is a link to purchasing a well known and delicious brand on line https://www.smokehouse.ie/ Connemara Smokehouse is know for their wild Atlantic Seafood and would be a great treat if recreating a traditional Irish meal. If you can’t find Irish smoked salmon, pick a good quality salmon easily found here in the states. Alaska produces great products and is more easily found in supermarkets and online.
I personally like the chunkier flakier salmon portions but many will like the thinly cut slices. Pick whatever works for you. I used the thicker, flakier cut in this dish and cut it into stips for easier eating.
When it comes to the side salad, use what every is your favorite. On this day, I had some butter lettuce and iceberg lettuce in the fridge. An organic mixed lettuce would also work, as would romaine hearts.
I used 2% milk in this recipe because that is what I had on hand but I know skim, 1% and whole milk will all work too. The same is true of my flour choice. I’m a big fan of Wondra which is finely milled and lighter so I used it in this recipe but all purpose flour works just fine.
If you are looking to put together a traditional St. Patty’s Day feast, be sure to check out my other Irish recipes and menu ideas. The Irish Soda Bread is a family favorite and entire St. Patty’s Day menus can be found here (Yes, there is more than one.) Enjoy!
