SMOKED SALMON MOUSSE

 Smoked Salmon Mousse

This was the starter that I did for Christmas, sorry for the late posting.  I try and do something different with smoked salmon every year and this one was a real hit!  A light fluffy mousse with a zing of citrus and capers was really delicious and one I would definitely make again.

I used a silicone ring mould and made the day before to give it chance to set in the fridge, so it was just a question of turning it out and decorating on the day.  

Ingredients:

400g smoked salmon pieces

200g peppered mackerel smoked or smoked trout

350g cream cheese

250ml double cream

4 (large) gelatine leaves

ice water

1 tbsp chopped fresh dill

3 tbsp chopped capers

2 tbsp finely chopped chives

1 tsp lemon zest

400g smoked salmon slices - to line the mould

Fresh dill and watercress to garnish

Method:

Place the gelatine into the iced water for a few minutes to soften.  Squeezing out the water from the gelatine leaves put into a saucepan with the cream over a medium heat and melt gently, stirring.  Remove from the heat and set aside.

In a processor, blend the smoked salmon pieces, mackerel/trout and the rest of the ingredients to form a smooth mixture.  Then add the gelatine cream mixture and combine.  Fold in the dill, capers and chives and season to taste.

As I used a silicone ring mould I did not need to line it, but if you have an ordinary one, you may wish to line it with cling film for easy removal once set.

Line the mould with the slices of salmon, allowing enough overhang for the top.

Fill the mould with the mousse mixture, making sure there are no air pockets.  Fold over and overlap the salmon slices to cover the top well; you may need to add more, but as this will be the bottom once turned out it will not show.  Cover with cling film and put in the fridge for at least 24 hours.

When ready to serve, remove the cling film, place the serving dish on top of the mould, and upturn to release.  

Garnish with fresh dill and watercress.  I also served this with a dill sauce and of course bread!  

Very simple and easy to do and a wonderful make-ahead starter.