Simple Smoked Salmon Canapes

Quick, fresh, and a little different.  Good for when you want to give your guests something to nibble on with their pre-dinner bevvies, without killing their appetite for the main event.

1/4 lb cream cheese, softened
6 brined capers, drained, rinsed and finely chopped
Juice of 1/4 lemon
2 t minced fresh dill
2 t minced fresh chives
Coarsely ground black pepper to taste

1/4 lb smoked salmon
1 English cucumber
Dill sprigs for garnish

In a small bowl, stir the cream cheese until softened.  Add remaining ingredients (excluding salmon, cucumber and dill sprigs), stirring until well blended.  Cover with plastic wrap and put in refrigerator for 1 hour. 

At the end of the hour, wash and dry the cucumber.  Using a vegetable peeler, remove four evenly-spaced lengths of skin from the cucumber.  Slice in 1 cm rounds, place on platter, and blot tops with paper towel.

Using a knife, place 1 t of the cream cheese mixture onto each cucumber slice.  Gently tear the salmon into pieces roughly 3 cm X 3 cm.  Drape the salmon pieces over the cucumber slices, in any manner which makes them look irresistible, and top each with a dill sprig.  Chill, covered, until ready to serve.