This simple but elegant recipe – created by food writer and former Food Editor of Waitrose Food magazine Eleanor Maidment – is the perfect savoury brunch dish

IMAGE: NASSIMA ROTHACKER
Red onion, smoked fish and cream cheese is a heavenly combination to me: it’s oily, salty, sharp and creamy. It’s also hard to execute badly, but I do think charring the capers and red onion adds a little extra flourish.
Smoked Fish Tartine with Charred Caper and Red Onion Relish
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp nonpareille capers, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp sherry vinegar
- 1/2 tsp soft dark brown sugar
- 2 large slices of sourdough or rye bread
- 4 tbsp labneh or cream cheese
- 100 g smoked salmon, trout or halibut (3 1/2oz)
- 1/2 lemon, cut into wedges
- small handful of chopped flat-leaf parsley
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- If the capers are wet, pat them dry on a piece of paper towel. Heat a small frying pan (skillet) or saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the capers and onion and dry-fry them, tossing or stirring regularly, for about 2 minutes until charred in places. Tip in the vinegar and sugar and stir together; take off the heat and tip into a bowl.
- Toast the bread. Spread the toast with the labneh or cream cheese, arrange the smoked fish over the top and spoon over the caper and red onion relish. Squeeze a little lemon juice over the top, scatter with parsley, grind over some black pepper and serve immediately.

Extracted from California: Living + Eating by Eleanor Maidment (Hardie Grant, £22) Photography © Nassima Rothacker
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