The deliciously deep rosy colour of this Wild Smoked Salmon & Prawn Pâté with its soft texture and sweet flavours that hint of the sea, is food to fall in love with. Quick and easy to make, it is a truly indulgent starter for any special occasion.
Spread it lavishly on slices of crisp crostini (see the recipe for perfect crostini here) and serve with a glass of chilled Champagne and I think you could literally have your lover eating out of your hand!
I specifically chose wild Alaskan smoked salmon for this recipe because by going wild you get a firmer less fatty fish with a natural intense colour. Besides, it just doesn’t seem very loving to feed my man farmed fish that’s been fed on pellets containing antibiotics, growth hormones and artificial colour!
To make this seafood pate even more luxurious (and a little less salty) I combined the smoked salmon with some big juicy Canadian cold water prawns.
If this little number doesn’t impress your Valentine, I don’t know what will!
Wild Smoked Salmon & Prawn Pâté (Serves 2)
Ingredients
50g (2oz) wild Alaskan smoked salmon
25g (1oz) large Canadian cold water prawns, defrosted
100g (3½oz) full-fat soft cream cheese
50g (2oz) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
½ small lemon, juiced
Large pinch cayenne pepper
2 lemon slices
8 whole prawns, defrosted
Flat leaf parsley
Instructions
Cut the salmon and the prawns into small pieces (I used kitchen scissors). Place the salmon and prawns in a blender with the cream cheese, melted butter, cayenne pepper and lemon juice.
Pulse the ingredients until mixed together well but not completely smooth - you need to retain a little texture. Taste the pâté and add a little more lemon juice if needed.
Spoon the mixture into two small ramekin dishes. Level the surface, cover with cling film and chill for 2 hours.
When you’re ready to serve, cut a thin slice from a whole lemon, cut it into two halves (remove any pips) then slice each half from its centre to the rind (don’t cut through the rind) then turn both ends in opposite directions to make a ‘twist’ and place one lemon twist on top of each pâté. Arrange two prawns on each side of the lemon slices (4 prawns per person) and garnish both with a small sprig of flat leaf parsley.
Notes
Wrapped tightly in cling film, this pâté will keep for for several days stored in a refrigerator.
Don’t add any salt as the smoked salmon has enough salt to sufficiently flavour the pâté without.
If you don't have time or don't feel confident enough to make crostini, whole red Belgian chicory leaves are a fresh and flavourful accompaniment to the pâté. They're also virtually carb-free and the pale red leaves look very pretty!
You could also add some finely chopped fresh chives or dill to this pâté but I much prefer its unadulterated rosy pink colour. For the same reason, I used cayenne pepper rather than freshly ground black pepper because I think black flecks running through the mix would spoil its appearance.
Carbohydrate 2g Protein 10g - per portion
