CHELSEA SIDECAR WITH SMOKED SALMON MOUSSE CROUSTADES

Swap Cognac for gin in a sidecar and this is what you get! The citrus cuts through the rich salmon wonderfully.

MAKES 20 croustades and 2 drinks

PREPARATION TIME 30 minutes

COOKING TIME 10 minutes

FOR THE CROUSTADES

● 5 large slices of medium-thickness sliced white bread, crusts cut off

● 2tbsp light olive oil

FOR THE SMOKED SALMON MOUSSE

● 100g smoked salmon

● Freshly squeezed juice 1 lemon

● Freshly ground black pepper

● 150ml double cream

● 4 slices mild smoked salmon, cut into strips

● Finely chopped dill, to garnish

FOR THE CHELSEA SIDECAR

● 45ml dry gin

● 30ml triple sec

● 30ml freshly squeezed lemon juice

● 1tsp sugar syrup

● Ice cubes, to shake

●Lemon twist, to garnish

1 First, make the croustades. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4. Using a rolling pin, press down heavily on to each slice of bread in turn to roll it out thinly. Brush each flattened slice with oil. Use a 5cm round cookie cutter to stamp out about 4 rounds per slice. Push each round into a 24-hole mini muffin pan. Bake in the oven for 10min, until lightly coloured and crisp. Cool on a wire rack before filling.

2 To make the smoked salmon mousse, put 100g salmon in a food processor with the lemon juice, season with pepper and blitz until the salmon is finely chopped. Add the cream and blitz until you have a smooth mousse. Store in the fridge until ready to serve. To assemble, spoon the mousse into each croustade, top with a strip of smoked salmon. Sprinkle with dill and serve.

3 For the cocktail, shake all ingredients in an ice-filled shaker and strain into small chilled martini glasses. Garnish with a lemon twist.