SMOKED SALMON AND DILL CHEESECAKE

SMOKED SALMON AND DILL CHEESECAKE image

Yield 10 servings

Number Of Ingredients 13

5 T. freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
2 T. Bread crumbs
3 T. unsalted butter
1 cup chopped onion
28 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
4 large eggs
1/3 cup whipping cream
1/2 lb. Lox (Nova or belly, to your taste)
1/2 cup freshly grated Gruyere cheese
1 cup fresh dill
Salt & pepper, to taste
Crackers or bagel crisps
Green olives, pimento and additional cream cheese for garnish

Steps:

 Butter a 9" springform pan with 2 1/2" sides.  Mix 2 T. Parmesan with bread crumbs and coat pan with mixture.  Wrap foil around bottom and 2" up outside pan.  Melt butter in skillet. Add onion and sauté until tender. Cool.  Using an electric mixer beat cream cheese, eggs and cream in large bowl until blended.  Fold in onion mixture, salmon, Gruyere, dill and remaining Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper.  Pour mixture into prepared pan.  Place pan into bain marie until water reaches 2" up sides of cheesecake pan.  Bake 300 degrees until firm, about 1 hour and 40 minutes.  Remove cheesecake from water bath.  Turn oven off. Return cheesecake to oven and let stand for 1 hour.  Remove cheesecake from springform pan and transfer it to cooling rack for at least 2 hours. You can decorate cheesecake with olives, sliced pimentos and additional cream cheese icing. Serve with crackers or bagel crisps.