Watercress and Smoked Salmon Salad with Creamy Cucumbers
1 English cucumber
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
Big pinch sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons snipped fresh dill, plus fronds for garnish
1/2 cup creme fraiche
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon coarse grain mustard
1/4 lemon, juiced
2 bunches watercress, stems trimmed
1 cup yellow and red grape tomatoes
8 ounces smoked salmon, torn into pieces
1 lemon, cut into wedges
Instructions:
Peel alternating strips from the cucumber, leaving some peel to create stripes, and slice into thin rounds. In a large bowl, combine the vinegar, sugar and some salt and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil, then 2 tablespoons of the dill. Add the cucumbers and toss. Combine the creme fraiche, horseradish, mustard, lemon juice and the remaining 2 tablespoons dill in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Using a slotted spoon, scoop the cucumbers from the vinaigrette and mound on a large platter. Dip the leaf ends of the watercress in the remaining vinaigrette and mound on the platter. Toss the tomatoes in the vinaigrette, remove with a slotted spoon and mound on the platter. Lay the salmon over the mounds. Spoon the creme fraiche dressing over the top. Garnish the platter with lemon wedges and serve immediately.
