NEITHER of us is particularly fond of fresh trout. Its slightly muddy flavour is hardly surprising given its habitat, but we are yet to have real success with it and it rarely graces the table in either household.
Smoked trout is a different ball-game altogether. The smoking process gives the fish an almost meaty texture and a surprisingly intense flavour that makes this a delicious alternative to smoked mackerel or salmon, particularly when served with its classic accompaniment, horseradish sauce.
Having always used smoked mackerel as the base for a quick fish paté, we were delighted with the results when we experimented with smoked trout, using the same method but lacing the paté liberally with horseradish (we buy the “hot” variety but you could use creamed horseradish if you prefer).
The recipe is extremely simple, consisting of three ingredients, seasoned well and mixed together to make a really sophisticated, delicately coloured paté that would do any dinner party proud. This really is a recipe in which the packet-opening takes longer than the preparation, making it an ideal standby for those with busy lives.
If you don’t like horseradish (although we would urge you to try a little in this paté) you can use a couple of healthy squeezes of lemon juice instead and the paté will still be delicious.
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The nutty flavour and coarse texture of traditional German rye or pumpernickel bread is the perfect accompaniment to a strongly flavoured paté such as this. You will find this delicious bread in all good supermarkets and rather handily it is sold sliced so all you need to do is cut it into neat triangles before serving.
Alternatively, you might like to treat the paté more like a dip and serve it with some toasted fingers of pitta bread and a selection of crudités (neatly cut batons of carrot, red pepper, cucumber, celery and other crunchy vegetables of your choice).
SMOKED TROUT AND HORSERADISH PATÉ
Serves 6 as a starter or 4 as a light meal
200g smoked trout
200g Philadelphia cream cheese
2 tbsp horseradish (or to taste)
Freshly ground salt and black pepper
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To serve: Lemon wedges and roughly chopped parsley
Flake the smoked trout into a bowl. Add the cream cheese and mix with a fork to break down the fish. Beat in the horseradish and season the paté well before chilling in the fridge for an hour or so before serving. Scatter over some chopped parsley and serve with lemon wedges.