Smoked Salmon Cheesecake

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Ingredients

Crust:
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup olive oil crackers, crushed
5 Tbsp. butter, chilled
3 Tbsp. ice water
1 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese, grated
½ tsp. Old Bay Seasoning

Filling:
6oz. smoked salmon
1½ Tbsp. cream cheese
2 cups Surchoix gruyere cheese, grated
4 eggs
2 leeks, white part only, chopped
¾ cups heavy cream
1 Tbsp. Old Bay Seasoning
2 Tbsp. butter

Salad:
1 bu. watercress, chopped
⅓ cup red onions, diced
capers
olive oil
champagne vinegar
salt & pepper

Method

Crust:
In a food processor, add flour, cheese, and Old Bay Seasoning. Pulse until fine. Put in a bowl, add butter and mix until dough starts to come together. Add ice water and mix together. Fold in crackers. The dough will be crumbly. Put dough in a 9x12 pan. Line the sides of the pan at least halfway up. Press remaining dough into bottom of pan. Bake until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. Let cool completely. Reduce oven temp to 325 degrees.

Filling:
Melt butter in a large sauté pan. Add leeks and cook until soft, about 7-8 minutes. Let cool. Put cream cheese, gruyere into a food processor. Pulse until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, then add cream. Place in a bowl. Fold in salmon, leeks, and Old bay. Pour filling into pre-baked crust. Bake until the middle is almost set and firm in the middle, about 30-35 minutes. Serve at room temperature.

Salad:
Put watercress and onions in a bowl. Sprinkle with some olive oil, vinegar, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Place a piece of cheesecake on a plate. Put a small handful of salad on the plate. Sprinkle with capers.