Little Smoked Salmon Cucumber Cups With Peppered Creme Fraiche

Delightful and EASY little smoked salmon and cucumber appetisers, and healthy too, with NO pastry! These are a breeze to make but they tick all the taste boxes, as well as being elegant. Cucumbers do vary in size, and I have suggested a medium cucumber, which is about 10" to 12" long.........however, any size will do!! Adjust the crème fraiche to how many cups you yield from a cucumber, I managed to make 30 cups and used 10 tablespoons of crème fraîche for that amount, 1 teaspoon per cup. Serve these with cocktails and pre-dinner drinks, or as part of a buffet. The cucumber cups and crème fraîche can be prepared beforehand, but these should only be assembled 1 hour before serving (at the most) and covered in cling film to ensure the smoked salmon does not dry out. Allow 2 to 4 per person, depending on what else is served.

• Ready In: 15 mins
• Serves: 7-15
• Yields: 30 Cucumber and Smoked Salmon Cups

Ingredients

• 1  medium cucumber, cut into 1-inch slices
• 10  tablespoons creme fraiche
•  zest of one large lemon
•  fresh ground black pepper, to taste (about 2 teaspoons)
• 225  g smoked salmon (8 ozs)
•  salt (optional)
•  lemon slice, to garnish (optional)
•  dill (optional) or  parsley, to garnish (optional)

Directions

1. Cut the cucumber into 1 1/2 inch slices, and carefully hollow out the centre (with any seeds) with a pointed teaspoon, so you are left with a shallow hollow.
2. Mix the lemon zest and black pepper with the crème fraiche and adjust seasoning to taste, adding the black pepper bit by bit to ensure a favourable taste! (We like ours quite peppery!) I have not suggested salt as the smoked salmon is salty, but do add salt to taste if you wish.
3. Spoon a little seasoned crème fraiche into each cucumber cup, about 1 teaspoon per cup.
4. Cut the smoked salmon into 6-inch long strips and about 1/2 inch wide, and curl them around to make a little circle, then place the circle of smoked salmon on top of the crème fraiche.
5. Garnish with lemon slices if you wish, or with dill or parsley. Makes about 30 according to size of cucumber.
6. You can prepare the cucumber cups and crème fraiche several hours beforehand- cover them and store them in the fridge; assemble them just before you are ready to serve them.