brunch
Butter-Basted Smoked Salmon Bites with Baerii Caviar
Warm smoked salmon on crisp rounds, basted in foaming butter, finished with a spoonful of Baerii. Weekend brunch in 15 minutes.
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This is one of the fastest things you can do with smoked salmon that doesn't feel like an afterthought. The butter baste takes ninety seconds — you tilt the pan, spoon the foaming butter over the salmon, and pull it off the heat while it's still glossy. That's the whole technique.
The result is warm, silky salmon on a cool crème fraîche cucumber round, with Baerii caviar on top. Baerii is light and clean, which is exactly what you want next to smoked fish — it adds brine and freshness without competing with the smoke. It's the kind of thing that looks like you planned it, even if you threw it together between coffee and a second cup.
A few notes: use good smoked salmon (the kind sold in thin, intact slices, not the shredded stuff), keep the baste short so the fish stays tender, and spoon the caviar on at the very last second so it stays cold against the warm salmon. That contrast is the whole point.
Ingredients
- 150g smoked salmon slices — cut into roughly 5cm pieces
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp crème fraîche
- 1 medium cucumber — sliced into rounds about 8mm thick
- small handful fresh dill
- ½ lemon — for squeezing
- pinch flaky sea salt
- 20–30g Baerii caviar — to serve
Method
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Arrange cucumber rounds on a serving plate and spoon a small amount of crème fraîche onto each one.
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Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Once it foams, lay the smoked salmon pieces in the pan and tilt the pan slightly, spooning the foaming butter over the salmon continuously for about 90 seconds. You want it just warmed through and glossy — not cooked further.
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Lift the salmon out and lay one piece on top of each crème fraîche cucumber round.
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Squeeze a little lemon over the plate, add a pinch of flaky salt, and tuck a small sprig of dill onto each bite.
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Spoon Baerii caviar directly from the tin onto each bite just before serving.
Caviar for Tuesday
Caviar for this recipe
Frequently asked
Why warm the smoked salmon instead of serving it cold?
Warming it in butter softens the texture and pulls out the fat in the fish, which makes the caviar sit more naturally on top rather than feeling like two separate things on one bite. It takes under two minutes and makes a real difference.
Which caviar works best with smoked salmon?
Baerii is the right call here — its light, clean flavour doesn't fight the smokiness of the salmon the way a richer caviar might. If you want something with a little more depth, Kaluga Hybrid is a solid second choice.
How much caviar do I need for four people at brunch?
Around 20–30g covers four people comfortably when caviar is a topping rather than the centrepiece. For a fuller spread, check our <a href="https://www.caviarkitchen.ca/how-to-eat-caviar">how to eat caviar</a> guide for serving size guidance by occasion.