Trout Pâté with Date and Caraway Soda Bread 3tbsp chopped dill 375g skinless hot-smoked trout fillets
Home-made bread and a zesty fish pâté will start your Christmas lunch with a bang. You can use whichever cooked smoked fish you prefer – try kippers, smoked mackerel or hot-smoked salmon.
Hands-on time 35min, plus cooling. Cooking time about 45min. Serves 6 FOR THE SODA BREAD
175g plain flour, plus extra to dust 175g wholemeal flour
100g jumbo rolled oats
1tsp bicarbonate of soda
40g unsalted butter, chilled and cubed 5 pitted medjool dates, roughly chopped
1½tsp caraway seeds
350ml buttermilk
FOR THE PÂTÉ
175g crème fraîche
50g cream cheese 1½tbsp hot horseradish sauce 1½tbsp capers, rinsed, drained and chopped
Finely grated zest 1 lemon and juice ½ lemon
1 Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6. For the soda bread, dust a baking sheet with a little plain flour. Mix both flours, the oats, bicarbonate of soda and 1tsp fine salt in a large mixing bowl and rub in the butter with your fingertips until combined.
2 Stir through the dates and 1tsp caraway seeds. Make a well in the centre, pour in the buttermilk and mix with a wooden spoon to a soft dough. Tip on to a work surface and knead lightly with your hands. Bring to a rough round.
3 Place the dough on the prepared baking sheet. Dust the handle of the wooden spoon with a little flour and press on to the top of the dough to make a cross. Scatter over the remaining
caraway seeds and bake for 40-45min, until risen and golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
4 For the pâté, mix the crème fraîche, cream cheese, horseradish sauce, capers, lemon zest and juice, most of the dill and some seasoning. Flake in the fish, then use a fork to mash together to a rough pâté. Spoon into 6 individual ramekins or one large serving dish and garnish with the remaining dill. Serve with the soda bread. PER SERVING 620cals, 24g protein, 27g fat (15g saturates), 68g carbs (14g total sugars), 6g fibre
GET AHEAD Soda bread is best eaten on the day of baking, but can be lightly toasted if made a day in advance. The pâté can be made a day ahead, covered and chilled. Allow it to come up to room temperature for 15min before serving.