Smorgasbord

Ingredients

• 2 cups cider vinegar
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 small golden beets, roasted, peeled, and cut into disks
• 3 small red beets, roasted, peeled, and cut into disks
• 1 small red onion, very thinly sliced, preferably on a mandoline
• 1/2 English cucumber, sliced
• 6 ounces whipped cream cheese
• 1 tablespoon minced shallot
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1 1/2 ounces whitefish caviar or other roe
• 12 ounces smoked salmon
• 12 ounces smoked trout
• 1 (6-ounce) jar pickled herring
• 1/2 cup drained and rinsed caperberries
• 1/2 cup marinated mushrooms
• 1/2 cup marinated Peppadew or cherry peppers
• 1/3 cup dill mustard
• Pumpernickel bread slices, toasted
• Seeded crackers

Steps

1. Make the pickles: In a medium saucepan, combine vinegar, 2 cups of water, sugar, salt, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, place golden beets, red beets, onion, and cucumber in separate lidded, heatproof containers. Divide boiling liquid among containers; cool to room temperature. Cover and chill 8 hours or overnight.
2. Make the caviar cream cheese: Stir together cream cheese, shallot, and lemon zest until smooth. Gently fold in roe; chill until ready to serve.
3. To serve, place pickles, caviar cream cheese, salmon, trout, herring. caperberries, mushrooms, and peppers in small bowls or on a large platter. Serve with mustard, toast slices, and crackers.