Rillettes of Fresh and Smoked Salmon

This is a terrific standby recipe that can be tarted up in all sorts of ways or simply slathered on hot thin toast or crusty bread.

The texture of this pâté should be coarse and slightly stringy — it should resemble that of pork rillettes, where the meat is torn into shreds with forks rather than blended. Don’t be spooked at the amount of butter you use — you’re not going to eat it all yourself! Serve as a canapé piped on thick slices of cucumber or for a posh starter you can line little moulds with a slice of smoked salmon and serve with cucumber pickle.

Serves 12-16

340g (¾lb) freshly-cooked salmon 340g (¾lb) smoked wild or organic Irish salmon 340g (¾lb) softened butter Salt and freshly ground pepper A good grating of nutmeg Lemon juice to taste

For the Smoked Salmon:

30g (1oz) butter 28ml (½fl oz) water Clarified butter (optional)

Melt 30g (1 oz) butter in a small saucepan; add the smoked salmon and 1 tablespoon of water. Cover and cook for 3-4 minutes or until it no longer looks opaque. Allow it to get quite cold.

Cream the butter in a bowl. With two forks, shred the fresh and smoked salmon and mix well together.

Add to the soft butter still using a fork (do not use a food processor). Season with salt and freshly ground pepper and lots of freshly grated nutmeg. Taste and add lemon juice as necessary, and some freshly chopped fennel if you have it.

Serve in individual pots or in a pottery terrine. Cover with a layer of clarified butter or cling film.

Serve with hot toast or hot crusty white bread.

Salmon rillettes keep perfectly in the refrigerator for 5 or 6 days or can be frozen for 3-4 weeks, provided they are well-sealed.