Italian Grilled Polenta Bites with Smoked Salmon Mousse

Irresistible grilled polenta bites, topped with a creamy and rich smoked salmon mousse. 

Easy, elegant and delicious appetizer recipe for your holiday party!

This post is written in collaboration with Arte Italica. All opinions are mine alone.

Here is an easy and quick recipe for a fancy-looking appetizer that I'm sure will be a big hit at your next holiday party.

This bite-size appetizer is made with a slice of grilled polenta -soft on the inside and lightly crispy on the outside - cut into circles (or squares if you prefer), and topped with a rich and creamy smoked salmon mousse - made with cream cheese and a touch of lemon juice.
Delicate and flavorful, all at the same time.

This recipe is fancy and festive. It's quick, easy and so versatile. If you are not a fan of smoked salmon, you can really go crazy with the topping to the grilled polenta. 

Think: prosciutto & burrata, creme fraiche & salad shrimp, soppressata & sauteed mushrooms, lentils & sausage  ...your imagination is the only limit!

Now let's talk polenta for a minute. I used instant polenta flour which only takes about 5 minutes to cook. But you can also use regular polenta flour. It will take about 30 to 40 minutes to cook but it's well worth it!

No matter which flour you use, remember to give it time to cool down completely before grilling. I poured it into a baking pan lined with parchment paper when still hot. Spread out to make it as flat as you can. And let it sit at room temperature until it's cold and set. And you can easily cut into pieces without them breaking. 

I used a 2.5-inch round cookie cutter to cut mine. But you can cut in any shape you like. The easiest would be to cut with a knife into squares. So you avoid any leftover polenta scrap pieces. 

But, today I was feeling fancy... so I cut into circles for a pretty presentation.

I made my appetizer fancy-looking to match my NEW sumptuous and elegant set of plates that I

 received from Arte Italica. 

A simply stunning gift, handmade in Italy. Just take a look!!

This set of beautiful and luxurious plates is part of Arte Italica Tuscan Collection. This dinnerware combines white ceramic with its signature pewter trim. This amazing dinnerware translates seamlessly from traditional to contemporary, classic to formal. It's handcrafted in Italy of the highest quality materials. 

Make sure to check out Arte Italica to discover all their amazing collections and beautiful products.

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PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD: Grilled Polenta Appetizer with Smoked Salmon Mousse

Italian Grilled Polenta Bites with Smoked Salmon Mousse

Yield about 16 piece, serves about 8

Author Manuela Mazzocco

Prep time

15 Min

Cook time

15 Min

Inactive time

1 Hour

Total time

1 H & 30 M

Irresistible grilled polenta bites, topped with a creamy and rich smoked salmon mousse. Easy, elegant and delicious appetizer recipe for your holiday party!

Ingredients

For the polenta:

• 4 cups (950 ml) water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 cup (150 gr) instant polenta
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• pepper to taste

For the smoked salmon mousse:

• 4 oz (115 gr) smoked salmon
• 8 oz (130 gr) whipped cream cheese (or regular cream cheese)
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• sea salt and black pepper to taste
• fresh dill to decorate

Instructions

1. Line a 12x9 inch (30 x 22 cm) pan with parchment paper.
2. In a medium pan, bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the salt, lower the heat and pour in the polenta in a steady stream while stirring continuously. Simmer while cooking for 2 to 4 minutes until thick and smooth. Mix in the butter, parsley and pepper. Pour into the pan and level the surface. Let cool down completely (1 hour or longer).
3. For the mousse: Place the smoked salmon, cream cheese, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a food processor and process for a minute or two until smooth. Scarpe the sides of the bowl with a spatula and process for one more minute. Transfer to a piping bag.
4. Cut the polenta into squares or round shapes with a cookie cutter (mine is 2.5 inches in diameter).
5. Heat a non-stick griddle or a large skillet. Grill the polenta pieces over medium heat for about 5 to 10 minutes on each side.
6. Pipe the smoked salmon mousse onto the polenta slices. Garnish with a little slice of smoked salmon and fresh dill.

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