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| Potted Salmon with Melba Toast |
Ingredients
300g Skinless Salmon Fillets
1 x Small Unwaxed Lemon
1 x Bay Leaf
50g Butter
100g Smoked Salmon Slices
100g Full-Fat Soft Cheese
A handful of fresh Dill, feathery leaves stripped from the stalks
2 x pinches freshly ground Black Pepper
1 x pinch snipped Chives to garnish
1 x Small Unwaxed Lemon
1 x Bay Leaf
50g Butter
100g Smoked Salmon Slices
100g Full-Fat Soft Cheese
A handful of fresh Dill, feathery leaves stripped from the stalks
2 x pinches freshly ground Black Pepper
1 x pinch snipped Chives to garnish
Some Melba Toast
Method
Put one of the salmon fillets in a
small saucepan and pour over enough water to cover. Peel a wide strip of lemon
zest using a vegetable peeler and add it to the pan. Drop the bay leaf into the
pan and bring the water to a gentle simmer. Cover with a lid and cook for 6
minutes. Drain the salmon, transfer it to a plate and leave to cool.
Cut the second salmon fillet into small cubes, each roughly 1.5cm square – about the size of a dice. Put the cubes in a clean pan with the butter and set over a low heat. When the butter has melted, cook the salmon cubes for 2–3 minutes or until just cooked through, turning once. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Flake the poached salmon into chunky pieces and put in a food processor with the smoked salmon, soft cheese and dill sprigs. Finely grate the zest of half the lemon onto a board and scrape it into the food processor. Add plenty of black pepper.
Blend the fish mixture until almost smooth, removing the lid and pushing down once or twice with a rubber spatula. Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Using a slotted spoon, add the cooked salmon cubes, reserving the melted butter, and fold them in very gently.
Spoon the salmon mixture into a preserving jar or small ceramic dish. Pour over the melted butter (used to cook the salmon cubes), leaving any sediment at the bottom of the pan. Garnish with tiny bay leaves, snipped chives or sprigs of dill, cover and leave to set in the fridge. Eat within 2 days.
Cut the second salmon fillet into small cubes, each roughly 1.5cm square – about the size of a dice. Put the cubes in a clean pan with the butter and set over a low heat. When the butter has melted, cook the salmon cubes for 2–3 minutes or until just cooked through, turning once. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Flake the poached salmon into chunky pieces and put in a food processor with the smoked salmon, soft cheese and dill sprigs. Finely grate the zest of half the lemon onto a board and scrape it into the food processor. Add plenty of black pepper.
Blend the fish mixture until almost smooth, removing the lid and pushing down once or twice with a rubber spatula. Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Using a slotted spoon, add the cooked salmon cubes, reserving the melted butter, and fold them in very gently.
Spoon the salmon mixture into a preserving jar or small ceramic dish. Pour over the melted butter (used to cook the salmon cubes), leaving any sediment at the bottom of the pan. Garnish with tiny bay leaves, snipped chives or sprigs of dill, cover and leave to set in the fridge. Eat within 2 days.
