From Chef Oonagh Williams of Royal Temptations Catering

Makes about 15-20 bite sized pieces

Ingredients:

• 1 piece of fresh salmon filet, about 8 oz. in weight
• 1 Gala, Fuji or Braeburn apple with bright red skin (don’t use a Granny Smith)
• 1 Tbsp. sweet hot pepper jelly
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• Chives or skinny green (spring) onion
• Orange juice or 1 cup water with 1 Tbsp. lemon juice or white Balsamic vinegar

Directions:

1. Cut the salmon into strips about ¼ inch thick, ½-1 inch (2 cm) wide and a bit shorter than size of apple slice. A skinny, little finger size strip.

2. Wash apple, but do not peel. I make a cut down either side of apple to give 2 fat “cheeks” of apple with a flat edge. Then cut the remaining 2 sides of the apple. I like to use a fluted cutter for extra eye appeal.

3. Cut apple “cheeks” into slices about ¼ inch thick. They need to be thick enough to pick up in your fingers and not bend or break under weight of salmon. Put apple slices in enough orange juice or water with lemon juice/white balsamic vinegar to cover, to stop apples from browning.

4. Preheat broiler and place pan you are going to use on the oven shelf to preheat.

5. Place slices of raw salmon in a single layer on top of a piece of foil. Leave a little space between so they can cook better.

6. Mix pepper jelly with oil and brush on top of salmon. Do a test run first to see how much pepper jelly you like for taste. This quantity only gives a mild, “Mmm, what’s that?” sort of flavor. It doesn’t burn your lips, so you might want more or a hotter jelly. That’s your choice.

7. Once broiler and pan is hot, slide the salmon on the foil onto the pan under the broiler. Broil for 1-2 minutes until salmon looks cooked and pepper jelly is looking a little caramelized. The hot pan underneath means you don’t need to turn the salmon over.

8. Remove pan from broiler and let salmon cool slightly. It will break easily when it is this thin.

9. Drain apple slices and arrange in a single layer on serving platter. Lift each piece of salmon with a thin spatula, pastry slice, etc., and put a slice on each piece of apple. Sprinkle with finely chopped chives or very finely chopped green onion for color and flavor contrast.

10. Serve.