Tapas: Smoked Fish Crostini

By á-3151

Paul Kahan's pairing of grilled toast, fresh cheese, and buttery smoked sablefish works with any smoked fish, from flaky whitefish, trout, or bluefish to thin slices of salmon.

Ingredients

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
• 7 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 4 large green or purple basil leaves, thinly sliced, plus small leaves for garnish
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bunch spring onions or scallions, trimmed
• 8 1/4 "-thick slices country-style rye bread
• 8 ounces fresh farmer cheese (about 1 cup), fromage blanc, or cream cheese
• 8 ounces smoked fish, preferably sablefish, deboned, flaked into 1" pieces (about 1 3/4 cups) or thinly sliced if using salmon
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced assorted cucumbers (such as kirby and Persian)

Details

Servings 6
Adapted from bonappetit.com

Preparation

Step 1

Combine tomatoes, 1 Tbsp. oil, lemon juice, and thinly sliced basil in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, build a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill, or heat a gas grill to high. Trim dark-green parts from onions; reserve for another use. If using spring onions, halve them lengthwise. Place onions on a baking sheet. Drizzle 2 Tbsp. oil over and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.

Grill onions, turning occasionally, until tender, 5-6 minutes. Transfer to a work surface to cool. Brush bread on both sides with remaining 4 Tbsp. oil; season with salt and pepper. Coarsely chop grilled onions and add to bowl with tomatoes.

Grill bread until toasted, about 1 minute per side. Cut toasts in half on a diagonal. Spread about 1 Tbsp. cheese onto 1 side of each toast half. Divide smoked fish evenly atop each toast.

Add cucumbers to tomato and onion mixture; toss to coat. Spoon over smoked fish. Garnish with small basil leaves. Serve immediately.