Jul 14 2026
Restaurants›Moonshine Grill›Smoked Salmon Mousse Johnny Cake Recipe

Smoked Salmon Mousse Johnny Cake Recipe

Inspired by Moonshine Grill
Time45m
Serves4

Make Smoked Salmon Mousse Johnny Cake Recipe in just 45m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.

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Ingredients

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Johnny Cakes

Smoked Salmon Mousse

To Garnish / Serve

Method

Johnny Cakes

  1. 1

    Prepare dry ingredients

    In a medium bowl whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt until evenly combined.

  2. 2

    Combine wet ingredients

    In a separate bowl whisk the milk, buttermilk, egg and melted butter until smooth and cohesive.

  3. 3

    Make batter

    Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. The batter should be somewhat thick but pourable; if too thick, add up to 1–2 tablespoons milk. Let rest 5 minutes to hydrate the cornmeal.

  4. 4

    Cook the johnny cakes

    Heat a 10–12 inch nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the neutral oil or a small knob of butter to coat the pan. Spoon 1/4 cup portions of batter into the pan, flattening slightly to form 3.5–4 inch rounds. Cook until the edges look set and bubbles form on the surface, about 2–3 minutes. Flip and cook 1.5–2 minutes more until golden brown and cooked through. Adjust heat as needed so they brown without burning. Transfer finished cakes to a wire rack or warm oven while you cook remaining batter, adding more butter/oil between batches.

  5. 5

    Keep warm

    Stack cooked johnny cakes on a sheet pan in a 200°F (95°C) oven to keep warm and crisp their edges while you prepare the mousse.

Smoked Salmon Mousse

  1. 6

    Prepare salmon

    Finely chop about 5 oz of the smoked salmon. Reserve 2 oz to use as a garnish or to fold in coarsely for texture. If pieces are large, pat them dry with a paper towel.

  2. 7

    Blend base

    In a food processor combine the chopped smoked salmon (5 oz), softened cream cheese, sour cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, minced shallot, capers, dill and chives. Pulse until smooth and uniformly mixed, scraping down the sides as needed. The mixture should be spreadable but still hold some body.

  3. 8

    Whip cream and finish

    In a small chilled bowl whip the cold heavy cream to soft peaks. Fold about half of the whipped cream into the salmon-cream cheese mixture to lighten it, then fold in the remaining whipped cream gently to keep the mousse airy. Taste and season with the 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, adding more lemon or salt if desired. Optionally fold in the reserved 2 oz diced smoked salmon for texture.

  4. 9

    Chill briefly

    Cover and chill the mousse at least 20 minutes to set slightly. If making ahead, refrigerate up to 24 hours and bring to near-chill (not room temperature) before serving so it's easy to spread.

To Garnish / Serve

  1. 10

    Assemble

    Place a warm johnny cake on a plate. Spoon or pipe about 2–3 tablespoons of the smoked salmon mousse onto each cake. Garnish with a small sprig of dill, a lemon slice or twist, and a few snipped chives. Add a caper or two or a caperberry if desired.

  2. 11

    Serve

    Serve immediately while johnny cakes are warm and crisp. The contrast of warm corn cakes and cool, creamy smoked salmon mousse is best eaten the same day. Leftover mousse will keep 2–3 days refrigerated; leftover cakes are best reheated briefly in a skillet or oven to restore crispness.

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