Smoked Fish Crostini

By Jeff Benda

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www.WildGameandFish.com

Makes 16 crostini
Total time: 15 minutes

Smoked Fish Crostini is one of my standard go-to appetizers when we are having friends over for dinner. It’s easy to throw together, and everyone always asks me for the recipe. Crostini, which means “little toast” in Italian, are toasted slices of bread that are used as a base for various toppings, making them an extremely popular appetizer in Italian cuisine. I had a catering business for years and would usually have a few different versions of a crostini to serve as appetizers for guests to enjoy.

This crostini is light and decadent and easy for people to eat. I also appreciate that I can make both the smoked fish mixture in advance, the crostini in advance, and then just assemble them quickly when guests arrive.

To make this recipe, you can choose to make your own smoked fish using some salmon, trout, bass, catfish, or even paddlefish. Or you can pick up some smoked salmon at your local grocery store.

INGREDIENTS

• 16 baguette slices (1/2-inch thick)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers
• 2 Tablespoons capers
• 2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 Tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
• 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh chives
• 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 8 ounces smoked fish

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place the oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Place baguette slices on rimmed baking sheet and brush both sides with a little olive oil.
3. Bake until crispy, about 8 minutes, flipping slices halfway through baking time.
4. Remove crostini from the oven and transfer them to a large serving platter. Sprinkle each one with a little kosher salt and black pepper.
5. In a medium bowl, mix together the roasted red peppers, capers, mayonnaise, yogurt, chives, tarragon, lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper.
6. Add the smoked fish and use a rubber spatula to gently fold it into the rest of the mixture until well combined.
7. Top each crostini with one Tablespoon of the smoked fish mixture and serve immediately.
8. The smoked fish mixture can be made up to 1 day ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.