Smoked Salmon and Cucumber Tea Sandwiches

INGREDIENTS:
1/3 cup creme fraiche 3 tbs chopped fresh dill Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 medium English cucumber 8 large slices pumpernickel bread, each cut into flour 2-inch triangles 1/4 lb thinly sliced cold-smoked salmon, cut into 16 pieces
1 In a small bowl, mix the creme fraiche with the dill and season to taste with salt and pepper. (You can refrigerate this mixture, tightly covered, for up to 1 day.)
2 Peel the cucumber. Then, using the peeler, shave 16 wide strips from several sides of the cucumber (discard the seed core). In a medium bowl, toss the cucumber stirps with 1/4 tsp salt and let sit until softened, about 10 minutes. Pat dry with paper towels.
3 Spread the creme fraiche generously on one side of each bread triangle (you may not use it all). Top half of the triangles with a folded cucumber strip, a curl of salmon, and a grind of black pepper. Set the remaining bread on top and serve.