We are lucky enough to have many good smokehouses in Ireland these days, so it’s timely to bring you two recipes that are ideal for entertaining using the best of Irish seafood. The Burren Smokehouse in Lisdoonvarna, Co Clare, and Connemara Smokehouse in Ballyconneely, Co Galway, are just two that spring to mind immediately.
Firstly, the smoked salmon and crab tian is the perfect quick starter for any special occasion. It looks absolutely stunning and takes very little time to prepare. A tian is a shallow earthenware baking vessel associated with Provence. Alternatively, you could use cone-shaped dariole moulds.
You can also use cooked peeled prawns or even lobster instead of the crab, but personally, I think crab is the winner. It adds a lovely sweetness. Make sure your avocado is ripe and ready to eat. It adds a nice creaminess to the crab. This will be perfect if you have time to make your own bread.
The tomatoes, chives, olive oil and balsamic vinegar make a delightful tomato salsa. Incidentally, both of these recipes could also be made with Goatsbridge smoked trout.
Our second recipe, salmon terrine, is that bit special. It’s a little expensive, but it will look and taste impressive. It is ideal for a dinner party. It can be made up to two days in advance and kept in the fridge until you are ready to slice it.
Ingredients: Serves 10-12
2 tbsp white wine or rice vinegar
2 tbsp caster sugar
4 celery sticks, trimmed and very finely diced
675g smoked salmon, sliced
2 x 275g cartons of soft cream cheese
1 x 200g tub of crème fraîche
Finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon,plus wedges to garnish
2 tbsp creamed horseradish
225g hot smoked salmon fillets
100g cooked peeled prawns
4 tbsp snipped fresh chives
2 tbsp chopped fresh dill, plus extra sprigs to garnish
2 tbsp cracked pink peppercorns
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Light brown soda bread, to serve
Method
1 To prepare the pickled celery, put the vinegar and sugar in a bowl and add 2 good pinches of salt. Mix in the celery and set aside for an hour, then drain and chill until needed.
2 Oil a 1.2 litre loaf tin, then line with a double layer of cling film, leaving plenty hanging over the sides. Neatly cover the base and sides of the tin with most of the smoked salmon in a slightly overlapping layer with some overhanging the sides, reserving the rest for the bottom of the finished terrine.
3 Put the cream cheese and crème fraîche in a food processor with the lemon rind and juice, horseradish and half of the hot smoked salmon fillets. Whizz until well blended, then turn out into a bowl. Fold in the prawns, herbs and pink peppercorns. Flake in the rest of the hot smoked salmon and season with salt and pepper.
4 Spoon a third of the cream cheese mixture into the terrine and gently smooth it out into an even layer. Sprinkle over half of the pickled celery, then cover with another third of the cream cheese mixture.
5 Add the rest of the pickled celery and spread the remaining cream cheese on top. Lay the reserved smoked salmon on top, then neatly fold over the overhanging salmon. Cover with the cling film to enclose completely. Chill overnight or for up to 2 days.
6 To serve, place it in the freezer for 30 minutes before you want to cut it into slices, as this will make sure that you get nice smooth slices. Carefully invert onto a platter, then cut into slices using a sharp knife that has had its blade dipped into a jug of hot water. Put a slice on each plate with a lemon wedge and dill sprigs to garnish. Serve with soda bread.
Ingredients: Serves 4
350g smoked salmon strips
2 ripe avocados
4 ripe tomatoes, peeled, deseeded and diced
1 tbsp snipped fresh chives, plus extra to garnish
A little extra virgin olive oil
Dash of balsamic vinegar
350g fresh white crab meat
4 tbsp crème fraîche
1 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp chopped fresh dill
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Baby salad leaves, to serve (optional)
Brown wheaten bread, to serve
Method
1 Place 4 x 8cm cooking rings in the centre of serving plates and arrange half of the smoked salmon strips in the bottom of each one, cutting them down to size as necessary. Cut the avocados in half and remove the stones, then peel and cut each half into slices. Put a nice overlapping layer of avocado slices on top of the salmon.
2 Make a quick tomato salsa with the tomatoes and chives and dress with a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar, then season with salt and pepper. Use to cover the avocado, then add another layer of the smoked salmon, using it all up. Cover with the crab in a nice, even layer.
3 Mix together the crème fraîche and mayonnaise with the dill and place a quenelle (fish mixture) in each tian, then garnish with chives and scatter some small baby salad leaves dressed with the olive oil around the edges of the plates, if liked. Serve immediately with some slices of brown bread.
SHARING OPTIONS