I routinely keep a package of tortillas on hand, as they can be used in a tasty array of things that I, and many others, like to eat.
They include such things as quesadillas, burritos, enchiladas, tortilla soup, wraps and even pizza, where I’ll use tortillas as the base, instead of pizza dough. I also use tortillas to make tostadas.
Tostada is a Spanish word that means toasted. In this case, a tortilla is toasted and used as a base that can be topped in a variety of inviting ways.
For a meal, sometimes I’ll make and top a plate-sized tostada. Other times, when I need a snack to serve guests with drinks, I’ll make mini tostadas, which I did in today’s recipe.
To make them, I cut tortillas into small rounds with a cookie cutter, and cooked and quickly toasted them in hot oil in a skillet. The result is crispy, canapé-like bases that, like larger tostadas, can be topped in all sorts of ways.
In this circumstance, I chose to top the mini tostadas with homemade guacamole, nuggets of tangy, soft goat cheese, cilantro and, for a West Coast twist, silky pieces of cold-smoked B.C. salmon. They are colourful little bites you could serve with margaritas, sparkling wine, beer, rose or other drink you think would work.
Mini Smoked Salmon Tostadas
These tasty bites feature smoked salmon, tangy cheese and vibrant guacamole on crisp, golden tortilla rounds.
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Cooking time: a few minutes
Makes: 24 mini tostadas
For the guacamole
1 large ripe avocado
2 tsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp sour cream, plain yogurt or mayonnaise
1/2 tsp finely chopped jalapeño pepper
2 Tbsp finely diced cherry tomatoes
1 Tbsp finely chopped onion
1/4 tsp minced garlic, or to taste
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp finely chopped cilantro
• salt to taste
For mini tostadas
2 (9- or 10-inch) flour and corn blend tortillas or flour tortillas (see Note 1)
• vegetable oil
8 thin (about 5-inch long) slices, cold-smoked salmon, each cut, widthwise, into three pieces (see Note 2 and Eric’s options)
2 Tbsp soft goat cheese, or to taste (divided, see Eric’s options)
24 small cilantro sprigs
To make the guacamole, cut the avocado in half lengthwise and remove the pit. Scoop out the flesh into a bowl. Add the lime juice and, with two forks, mash the avocado until it is somewhere between chunky and somewhat smooth. Mix in the remaining guacamole ingredients. Cover and refrigerate guacamole until needed. It can be made an hour or so in advance.
To make the tostadas, use a 2 1/4-inch round cookie cutter and cut 12 rounds out of each tortilla (see Note 1). Pour 1/8-inch of vegetable oil in a large skillet set over medium, medium-high heat. Cook the rounds of tortilla in the skillet, in batches, about 30 seconds per side, or until golden and crispy. Drain the tortilla rounds on paper towels and then set on a large serving platter. Cover and keep at room temperature until ready to top (they can be made many hours in advance).
When ready to serve, place 1/2 Tbsp or so of the guacamole in the centre of each tostada. Set a 1/4 tsp sized nugget of goat cheese on top of the guacamole on each tostada. Now set a piece of smoked salmon, artfully twisting it first, on top of the guacamole on each tostada. Garnish each tostada with a sprig of cilantro and serve.
Note 1: Flour and corn blend tortillas are made from a mix of regular flour and corn flour. They are sold at most supermarkets, often in the bagged bread aisle or deli department. I used Grimm’s brand. The trimmings of tortillas you have after cutting out the tostadas from them could be sliced, toasted in hot oil, drained on paper towel, and used as a topping for a salad or Mexican-style soup. If you don’t think you’ll use them in the next few days, any leftover whole tortillas you have in the package could be frozen, to thaw and use at another time.
Note 2: Sliced cold-smoked salmon, also sometimes called lox, is sold frozen, or thawed from frozen, at grocery stores and seafood stores. 85 to 125 grams of it, depending on how thickly it’s sliced, should yield the eight slices needed here.
Eric’s options: Instead of cold-smoked salmon, try topping the tostadas with flakes of hot-smoked salmon. Instead of goat cheese, try topping the tostadas with crumbled feta cheese, to taste.
Eric Akis is the author of eight cookbooks. His columns appear in the Life section Wednesday and Sunday.
