I love napoleon. No, not the general/emperor of France. Although I do have a thing for short, dark, handsome, regal looking French men (don’t judge!).
The napoleon that I’m referring to is the sweet gorgeous creation of thin layers of dough intertwined with dreamy, creamy custard. I crave the Ukrainian inspired napoleon that my mother and mother-in-law used to make out of homemade crispy wafers layered with slightly sweet, eggy custard. I crave the delicate pastry filled mille-feuille that you often find in French patisseries (especially those in Paris where everything always tastes better) and I crave the apple Napoleon that you can find at the best Italian bakery here in town. The one thing that I do not crave, or at least not until recently, is a savory napoleon.
If you’re like me, you’re always looking for new appetizers. Especially around the holidays. At my house, any type of smoked salmon starter is always on the menu. This is the case with dinner parties as well as breakfast/brunch/lunch gatherings. I’ve tried countless salmon appetizer recipes. Some of which I’m sure will eventually make their way to this blog. So, while searching for yet another recipe, it occurred to me that if you can make a napoleon with a sweet filling, why can’t you do the same with a savory one?
So, of course, I had to try it. The result was a sublimely delicious stunner that came together overnight in the fridge. Thin pastry layers, coated in tangy whipped creamed cheese, delicate smoked salmon and contrasting sharpness of pickled red onions will blow any bagel and lox out of the water (no pun intended). And because this napoleon needs time to rest in the fridge (as is the case with other similar recipes) it’s perfect as a make ahead appetizer or an elegant addition to a holiday brunch buffet.
The Dishy Details
I started with pickled onions because, to me, smoked salmon pairs so well with red onions. This is completely optional and you can absolutely use fresh red onions or leave them out altogether. But, if you have the time and inclination to do so, pickling onions is so incredibly easy and they will keep in your fridge for weeks. All it takes is slicing up a red onion and covering it with a mixture of water, vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper corns and coriander seeds.
The entire process takes all of ten minutes (most of which is spent on slicing the onions) and then, after about 24 hours in the fridge, you have something so good that you’ll want to use it on everything. EVERYTHING!
Store bought puff pastry, an item that I usually have in my freezer and use constantly, is the next ingredient. There’s no need to bake anything from scratch here as the puff pastry is quick, delicious and is the perfect vehicle for the salmon and my savory whipped cream cheese spread.
I used one sheet of puff pastry, unfolded it and cut it into three strips along the fold lines. I then placed the strips on a baking sheet, pierced them all over with a fork to prevent too much rising and stuck them in the oven for about 12 minutes.
While the pastry was baking, I whipped up some cream cheese, tangy sour cream, a bit of lemon juice, fresh dill and a flavor bomb of prepared horseradish. I know that horseradish is not the typical flavor associated with salmon, nor is it a commonly used ingredient, but trust me when I tell you that it pairs beautifully with the cream cheese and sour cream, while adding just a tiny bit of something unique to this recipe. Even those who don’t usually like horseradish (ahem, Liza) love this mixture.
Once the puff pastry was baked, I split two of the strips in half and layered them with cream cheese spread, smoked salmon and pickled onions.
I then crumbled up the last layer with my hands, shmeared the outside of the napoleon with more of the cream cheese spread and coated them with the crumbs. This particular technique is what is typically used in Ukraine so I thought that it would be a fun addition here.
Then all I had to do was top the napoleon off with more smoked salmon, some fresh cucumbers, dill and because I was feeling fancy, some salmon roe, which of course is completely optional.
The napoleon was feeling very tired at that point (unlike me as this was so easy to prepare) so I plopped it in the fridge for several hours to allow the flavors to meld while it rested. Overnight in the fridge works great as well. Basically, the longer it rests, the more the flavors have time to develop and soak into the pastry, which makes everything more delicious and easy to slice.
I hope that you decide to give this Smoked Salmon Napoleon recipe a whirl. If you do, let me know what you think, or tag me on Instagram. I always love to hear from everyone and to see photos of any recipes that you make. And above all, thanks so much for stopping by.
Smoked Salmon Napoleon
Ingredients
Pickled Onions:
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 3 tbs sugar
- 1 tbs kosher salt
- ½ tsp coriander seeds
- ½ tsp black peppercorns
Cream Cheese Spread:
- 8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tbs prepared horseradish, drained
- 1 tbs fresh dill, finely chopped
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
Napoleon:
- 1 sheet puff pastry, defrosted
- (8-10 oz) smoked salmon (I prefer nova as it's less salty than lox)
- salmon roe, optional
Instructions
Pickled Onions:
- Place the vinegar, water and sugar in a small sauce pan. Heat over low-medium heat just until the sugar dissolves (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
- Slice the red onion and place it in a jar with at least 12 oz capacity. Add the peppercorns and coriander seeds to the same jar. Pour the vinegar mixture over the onions. Cool to room temperature and then refrigerate for at least 24 hours or longer.
Cream Cheese Spread:
- Combine the cream cheese, sour cream, lemon juice, horseradish, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Using a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat until well mixed. Add the dill and stir to combine.
Napoleon:
- Preheat oven to 400 °F. Divide the puff pastry sheets into three sections along the fold lines. Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and pierce all over with a fork. Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes until slightly golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Spread a bit of the cream cheese mixture on a serving plate. Slice two of the three sections in half horizontally to create four layers. Reserve the remaining section. Spread one side of each layer with a few tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture. Place one layer (cream cheese side up) on the serving dish. Top it with some of the smoked salmon, pickled onions and another pastry layer (cream cheese side down). Continue layering until all four layers have been stacked, leaving the top of the last layer uncovered.
- Crumble the reserved pastry layer with your hands. Cover the top and sides of the napoleon with more cream cheese mixture then press the crumbs against the four sides only. Top the Napoleon with additional salmon and garnish with cucumbers, dill and salmon roe if using.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2-24 hours.