Description
Ina Garten’s smoked salmon croissants blend creamy textures with delicate seafood elegance. Simple ingredients and expert technique create a luxurious French-inspired appetizer perfect for brunch gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 croissants (large, fresh)
- 225g / 8 oz smoked salmon (thinly sliced, preferably Scottish)
- 250g / 8.8 oz mascarpone (Italian, about 1 cup)
- 85g / 3 cups baby arugula (rocket)
- 1.5 tbsps whole milk
- 1.5 tbsps capers (in brine, drained)
- 1.5 tbsps fresh chives (minced)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 0.5 tsp black pepper (freshly ground)
- red onion (very thinly sliced, optional)
Instructions
- Oven Preparation: Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F with the rack positioned centrally for uniform heating.
- Tray Setup: Line a baking tray with parchment paper, creating a non-stick surface for even warming of croissants.
- Croissant Warming: Arrange croissants on the prepared tray, heating for 8 minutes until thoroughly warmed without over-crisping.
- Mascarpone Mixture: Whisk mascarpone, milk, chives, salt, and black pepper in a bowl until achieving a silky, smooth consistency.
- Croissant Assembly: Slice croissants horizontally, spreading the mascarpone mixture generously on the bottom half, creating a creamy foundation.
- Flavor Layering: Strategically scatter capers over the mascarpone, then drape delicate smoked salmon slices across the surface for a luxurious texture.
- Optional Enhancement: Add thin red onion slices for an extra sharp dimension and crisp counterpoint.
- Herbal Finish: Crown the salmon with peppery arugula leaves, introducing a vibrant, fresh element to the sandwich.
- Final Composition: Carefully place croissant tops over the prepared fillings, creating an elegant, complete sandwich.
- Serving: Present the croissants immediately while warm, allowing the intricate flavors to harmonize and textures to interplay.
Notes
- Warm Croissants Carefully: Heat croissants gently at 180°C for 8 minutes to maintain softness and prevent over-crisping.
- Create Smooth Mascarpone Spread: Whisk mascarpone with milk, chives, salt, and pepper until creamy for a luxurious base.
- Layer Strategically: Build sandwich with even layers of capers, salmon, onions, and arugula for balanced flavor and texture.
- Serve Immediately: Enjoy croissants warm to ensure optimal taste and texture fusion of ingredients.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Lunch, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 551
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 1077 mg
- Fat: 39 g
- Saturated Fat: 17 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 21 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 78 mg