Vanilla salmon tartare with vodka, chives and melba toast

Vanilla salmon tartare with vodka and chives on melba toast. Photo / Babiche Martens.

Serves 4 as a canape

300g fillet of salmon
Seeds from one vanilla pod or use 1 tsp of pure vanilla paste
2 Tbs vodka
1 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs chives, finely snipped
Juice and zest of one or two limes depending on size - approximately 1 Tbsp of juice and 2 tsps of zest
1 x 2 inch piece of cucumber, deseeded and finely diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Creme fraiche
Sandwich sliced white bread

1. Remove the skin and any bones from the salmon then finely dice. Put in a bowl with the vanilla, vodka, oil, chives, juice and zest. Mix to combine, cover then leave in the fridge for an hour.

2. Just before serving, add the cucumber then season.

3. To make the melba toast, preheat oven to 160C. Remove bread crusts and either cut into quarters or circles using a cutter. Bake in the oven until dry and crisp. Spread the toast with creme fraiche then top with the salmon.