Salmon Terrine

Photo: flickr user Lil' Dee

Ingredients

625 grams skinned salmon fillet

175 grams skinned plaice fillets

3 eggs

teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper

350 mls double cream

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives or springonion tops

4 tablespoons mayonnaise two

2 125g packs gravadlax with mustard and dill sauce

lemon wedges to serve

Preparation

Roughly chop 400g of the salmon and all of the plaice fillets.

Put the chopped salmon in a blender or food processor and work until smooth. With the machine still running add 2 eggs one at a time through the feeder tube processing until evenly mixed. Transfer the mixture to a bowl then beat in 1 tsp salt and 1 tspn pepper.

Wash out the blender or processor goblet and repeat this process using the plaice fillets remaining egg 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tspn pepper.

Cover both bowls and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Gradually beat 200ml cream into the salmon mixture by hand one tbspful at a time.

Beat the remaining cream into the plaice mixture in the same way then fold in the chopped herbs.

Thinly slice the remaining salmon fillet diaganally into escalopes then place between two sheets of cling film and flatten gently with a rolling pin until almost transparent.

Baseline a 1.4 litre terrine with greaseproof paper.

Spoon half the salmon mixture into the terrine and spread evenly to cover base. Lay half the salmon escalopes on top in a thin even layer to completely cover the salmon mixture trimming them to tit as necessary.

Spread half the plaice and herb mixture evenly over the salmon.

Lay the remaining salmon escalopes on top then cover with the remaining plaice and herb mixture.

Top with the remaining salmon mixture. Cover the whole terrine with toil and chill for 30 minutes.

Stand the covered terrine in the small roasting tin containing enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides.

Cook on the grid shelf on the floor of the roasting ovenwith the cold plain shelf on the runners just above for 40 minutes.

Transfer to the simmering ovenwith the grid shelf on the second set of runners and cook for a further 10 to 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean and hot.

Cook on the grid shelf on the floor of the baking ovenfor 50 to 60 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean and hot.

Take the terrine out of the water remove the foil and leave to cool completely.

Cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Stir the mayonnaise into the mustard and dill sauce from the gravadlax. Unmould the terrine remove the greaseproof paper and spread a little of the dill sauce all over the top and sides. Cover the terrine with slices of gravadlax.

Cover with cling film and chill again until ready to serve.

To serve slice the terrine and arrange on individual plates.

Serve with lemon wedges and the remaining mustard and dill sauce.

Most supermarkets sell packs of gravadlax with mustard and dill sauce. ff you cant find it use smoked salmon and make a mustard and dill sauce by blending 1 tsp) each white wine vinegar and sugar with 1 tbsp mild american mustard 1 1/2 tspn chopped fresh dill and 50ml oil. For convenience the terrine can be prepared 2 to 3 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator. If you wish to freeze the terrine place in the freezer covered with cling film as above. When ready to use thaw overnight in the refrigerator

This sumptuous terrine is perfect for entertaining as it can be made 2 to 3 days in advance. Serve accompanied by thin slices of wholemeal or granary bread.

Serves 8