Avocado & Smoked Salmon Mousse
With permission, we would like to acknowledge Emeril Lagasse and Emerils.com for providing this wonderful recipe.

8 ounces thinly sliced smoked salmon
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup minced green onions
1 large ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and cut into thin slices
One 5-ounce jar salmon roe

Have a 4-cup round mold lined with plastic wrap. Lay about 1/3 of the salmon over the plastic wrap, overlapping each slice slightly and hanging the ends over the edge, to cover the mold. Chop the remaining salmon into 1/2-inch pieces and set aside.

In a bowl with an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese and sour cream until creamy and well combined. Add the Tabasco sauce and salt and stir well. In a small saucepan, heat the lemon juice over very low heat. Pour into a 1/2-cup ramekin and sprinkle with the gelatin, stirring until the gelatin is dissolved. Remove from the heat and stir into the cream cheese mixture.

Fold in the chopped smoked salmon and green onions. Spoon one-third of the mousse into the mold, top with a layer of avocado slices, then gently spread with half of the salmon roe. Spread a third of the mousse on top of the roe, and top with the remaining avocado slices and roe. Spread the remaining mousse over the top and fold the overhanging salmon strips over to completely enclose the mousse. Cover with the plastic wrap and chill until firm, about 3 hours.

To unmold, place the mold in a bowl of warm water for 10 seconds. Unwrap the plastic from the bottom of the mold and invert the mold onto a serving plate. Gently shake to release the mold and unwrap completely. Serve with toasted croutons or crackers.

Yield: 20 for an hors d’oeuvre.