Smoked Salmon & Eggs

Smoked salmon is different from lox, which is served on bagels with cream cheese. Smoked salmon is first cured with a salt and brown sugar rub, then put into a wet brine and finally smoked. Lox is sold in slices, while smoked salmon is sold in one piece.

    8 large hard-cooked eggs 
    3 ounces smoked salmon with any bones removed
    4 ounces cream cheese
    2 tablespoons sour cream
    ½ cup mayonnaise
    1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
    2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
    Fresh dill springs
    16 whole smoked almonds

1.  Carefully cut the hard-cooked eggs in half and place
     the yolks in a blender or food processor.

2.  Add the salmon, cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise,
     lemon juice and dill. Blend until smooth and creamy.

3.  Fit a piping bag with a star tip and fill with the egg mixture.

4.  Pipe the egg yolk filling into the egg white halves.
 
5.  Garnish each filled egg half with whole smoked almonds and
     tiny fresh dill sprigs.

     Makes 16 egg halves