Smoked Salmon Terrine

An original and healthy starter for festive moments

Salmon is one of the most consumed fish in Spain along with cod, hake, anchovy, sea bream, sardine or sole. It is a pinkish-colored fish whose hue is due to the consumption of crustaceans and shellfish, so that the more consumed, the color will be more intense and its quality will be higher. Salmon is classified as oily fish because it has omega-3 fatty acids.

There are many elaborations that can be made, from traditional recipes, such as Wellington salmon, to a salted salmon or a salmon tartare, although we can also find it smoked or marinated.

When talking about smoked salmon, it refers to the loins of the fish that have been directly exposed to the smoke of the wood (plum, cherry, apple, oak). In the case of marinated salmon, the loins are covered with a mixture of salt and sugar and left for at least 24 hours. The more time that passes, the meat will take on a more dehydrated appearance and will have a more intense color.

Both marinated and smoked salmon are a perfect starter to share a gastronomic evening. For this reason, uncork a bottle of red wine and let the culinary feast begin.

Ingredients

• 500 g of marinated salmon

For the filling

• 200 g of marinated salmon
• 200 g of crème fraiche
• 600 g cream cheese
• Zest and juice of one lemon
• Zest and juice of an orange
• 1 tablespoon capers
• 10 pickles thinly sliced
• 1 small spring onion
• Chives and dill
• 2 gelatin sheets
• Splash of brandy
• Salt and pepper

Also

• Mustard and honey
• Bread toasts

Step-by-step elaboration

1. Cover a rectangular terrine-type mold with plastic wrap, covering the sides to be able to close it perfectly.
2. Arrange the marinated salmon all over the terrine, leaving the slices that fall on the outside so that you can later close the cake completely.
3. Hydrate the gelatin in cold water.
4. In a bowl, mix the crème fraiche and the cream cheese.
5. Add the salmon cut into small pieces and the rest of the ingredients previously chopped. Season with salt and pepper.
6. In a glass, arrange the brandy together with the previously drained gelatin leaves. Heat for a few seconds in the microwave and add to the filling.
7. Mix quickly to homogenize the gelatin. Arrange the filling in the terrine.
8. Finish closing the terrine with the salmon slices that protruded from the mold and close with the transparent film.
9. Tighten well, covering the top with another terrine or similar weighted container.
10.  Keep in the fridge for at least 6 hours. Cut and serve with toasts and a touch of mustard and honey.

‘Harmonies in Flavors and Fragrances’. By Juan Muñoz Ramos.

Salmon, well seasoned and cooked, is a dish rich in omega-3s, polyunsaturated fats and other healthy contents that at the same time is very creamy thanks to a high level of quality fats.

We already see unctuousness and flavor. It is what an oriental, mainly a Japanese, would define as «high umami plate». A high flavor index seems perfect to me as long as it is accompanied with the right products. The first, and the most interesting for a dish of this type, is a water that is citric, creamy bubble and at the same time mineral-natural and with a tasty, complicated and easy finish. S.Pellegrino, an attractive water that has all these features, will maintain all the flavor between the salmon and this red Celeste Reserve Ribera of the Duero and Tinta Fina.

Wonderful fruit, freshness and complexity with a background of fine woods that, when you bound salmon and water, creating a symbiosis that distributes the flavor throughout the oral cavity, contributing to our senses and a sustained flavor thanks to the wisdom of having combined a creamy and subtle bubble that at the same time contributes to a happy digestion.

What more can we ask for on this occasion of such abundance. Well, remember, we have to look for sanity, digestibility, balance, freshness, acidity, creaminess and of course, happiness!

Tips

• You can prepare this terrine with smoked cod.
• You can make the marinated salmon beforehand and even freeze it and take out small fillets to cut at the moment.
• You can add green asparagus tips or even chopped hard-boiled egg to the filling.

End this amazing meal with a Browny of Caramel and Toffee Sauce, click here to see the complete recipe.

Don’t miss this Marinated Salmon, here you can find the step by step recipe!

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