Salmon Terrine

A great dish for a special occasion, this smoked salmon terrine never fail to impress. It looks elegant and complex, when in fact it is an absolute breeze to prepare.

Whether you make it as the star appetiser at your Christmas party or a weekend treat, this smoked salmon recipe is an absolute must !!

You can store terrine in the fridge for up to 4 days, although you'd do well to not devour it within 4 hours. The best thing to serve with this amazing terrine is a light, healthy, leafy salad or crackers.

Ingredients:

• 4 sheets leaf gelatine*
• 400g smoked salmon slices
• 300g cream cheese
• 120ml creme fraiche
• 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard**
• handful of dill, finely chopped***
• juice of 1 lime
• zest of ½ of the lime

Method:

Soak the gelatine in a bowl of water until softened.

Meanwhile, line a 1lb loaf pan  or terrine with a cling film. Use some of the smoked salmon to line the pan, laying the slices widthways across the base and up the sides and leaving enough hanging over the edge to fold over the top of the filling.

Set aside enough of the remaining smoked salmon to make a middle layer the length of the pan. Chop the rest finely by hand. 

In a bowl, beat the cream cheese, creame fraiche, mustard and dill until well combined. Scrape in the chopped salmon and mix with a spatula or a spoon until well combined.

Squeeze out the gelatine and put the sheets in a small pan. Add the lime juice. Place over a low heat until the gelatine has melted, cool slightly, then stir into the salmon mixture together with the lime zest.

Spoon half the mixture into lines pan. Lay the reserved smoked salmon sliced on the mixture along the length of the pan, then spoon on the rest of the filling and smooth the top****.

Tap the pan on the surface to expel any trapped air. Fold over the overhanging salmon slices to cover the top. Cover the whole pan with cling film and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours, preferably 6-8 hours or overnight.

Notes:

* Powdered gelatine can be used instead of the sheets. Substitute 1 tbsp powdered gelatine. Sprinkle it over the cold water in heatproof bowl then set aside until spongy. Place the bowl over simmering water until the gelatine has liquefied completely before adding it to the terrine mixture. 

**Dijon mustard can be substitute for wholegrain mustard.

*** If you can't get hold of dill, you can substitute it with chives.

****You can omit the middle layer.