Polenta Salmon Towers

Ingredients

• 300 ml classic vegetable broth
• 100 g corn grits (polenta)
• 1 egg
• Salt
• Pepper
• 60 g low-fat quark (3 tbsp)
• 1 tbsp salad cream
• 40 g crème fraîche (15% fat; 2 tbsp)
• 0.5 small organic lemon
• 1 tsp wasabi powder (more to taste)
• 2 sprigs dill
• 250 g smoked salmon (2 slices; 8 mm thick)
• 40 g German caviar (8 tsp)

Instructions

1. 1.

   Bring vegetable broth to a boil, add corn grits while stirring constantly and bring back to a boil (watch for splattering!). Reduce heat and simmer gently for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Whisk in the egg and season with salt and pepper.

2. 2.

   Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, spread the polenta onto it, and use a rubber spatula to evenly layer it about 1 cm thick. Let cool for about 40 minutes.

3. 3.

   Meanwhile whisk quark, salad cream, and crème fraîche together in a bowl. Grate lemon zest finely and fold into the mixture. Squeeze in some fresh lemon juice if desired, taste, lightly salt and pepper as needed.

4. 4.

   Wash dill and shake dry. Using a round cutter (4 cm diameter), cut circles from the salmon; set aside the scraps.

5. 5.

   Using the same cutter, cut circles from the cooled polenta, dipping the cutter into water between cuts to prevent sticking.

6. 6.

   Spread a thin layer of wasabi cream onto each polenta circle. Stack three polenta and two salmon circles to build small towers about 6 cm tall, placing the coated sides of the polenta on the salmon and pressing gently to hold together.

7. 7.

   Cap each tower with one more polenta circle and brush lightly with remaining cream.

8. 8.

   Finely chop the leftover salmon pieces and distribute over the towers along with caviar. Garnish with tiny dill sprigs and serve.