Smoked Salmon Rillettes

A simple starter, fresh and rich, that makes a bit more of a pack of smoked salmon

  • 150 ml vermouth
  • ½ onion , sliced
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice , plus a squeeze
  • Bunch parsley , stalks only (use the leaves below)
  • 8 black peppercorns
  • 125 g Ballyhack Smokehouse Artisan Smoked Salmon
  • 300 g salmon fillet
  • 30 g butter, melted
  • 1 tbsp chopped chervil (or chives if you can't get chervil)
  • rye bread and chicory leaves, to serve (optional)

For the caper crème fraîche

  • 200 g crème fraîche
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley and chives
  • 2 tbsp capers , rinsed of salt or brine
  • 1 small shallot
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • lwmon juice, to serve

  1. Put the vermouth, onion, lemon juice, parsley stalks and peppercorns in a saucepan with 150ml water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 mins. Turn the heat down to a very gentle simmer, add the salmon fillet and poach for 4 mins. Let the salmon sit and cool in the liquid.

  2. Lift the salmon out of its poaching liquid, remove the skin and flake the flesh roughly. Mix the flesh with the smoked salmon, a good squeeze of lemon, the butter, chervil and some pepper. Tip into a bowl, cover and put in the fridge (be sure to bring it back to room temperature to serve).

  3. Mix the crème fraîche with the herbs, capers, shallot, oil and lemon juice to taste. Serve the rillettes with leaves of chicory – its bitterness is very good against the richness of the salmon – the caper crème fraîche and some rye bread, if you like.