Smoked Trout Canapes With Creme Fraiche And Herb Sauce For Two Recipes

Steps:

• Cut head and tail from trout. Peel back skin and, using a fork, gently lift meat from bones. Pick over fillets for remaining bones.
• In small bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, crème fraîche, lemon zest, lemon juice, chives and dill. Mix well.
• Place a piece of trout on a slice of baguette, and top with a dollop of sauce. Repeat with remaining trout and arrange on a platter.

Steps:

• Cook the potatoes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the potatoes in a roasting pan and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and stir to evenly coat the potatoes. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, until the potatoes are soft. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. While the potatoes are still warm, gently press down on each one with the back of a pan or the side of a knife so it flattens to about 3/4 inch but stays intact (it's okay if the edges crack a bit, as they will get extra crisp when fried). Heat about 4 inches of canola oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Once the oil reaches 350 degrees F, fry the crushed potatoes, in batches, for 5 to 6 minutes, until they become golden and crunchy. Drain on paper towels and season with salt.
• Make the vodka creme fraiche: Combine the creme fraiche and vodka in a mixing bowl and whisk vigorously to whip and combine. Season lightly with salt. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Prepare the toppings: Carefully flake the trout fillets into small bite-size pieces. Fry the shallots: Separate the shallot slices into rings. Lightly dredge the rings in the flour. In a saute pan, heat 1/2 inch of olive oil to 350 degrees F. Fry the shallots for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and immediately season with kosher salt. To assemble, place a small dollop of vodka creme fraiche on each piece of potato and top it with a piece of trout. Garnish with the radish sprouts, chives and fried shallots. Season with fleur de sel and drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil.

Steps:

• Fold the crème fraîche with the horseradish and vodka, if using, with a little seasoning. Chill.
• In a bowl, mix the vinegar, olive oil and honey. Toss half the dressing through the beetroot and chill until ready to serve.
• Before serving, divide the slices of salmon between 8 plates, then top with a spoonful of the crème fraîche and bring up the sides of the salmon to make a 'flower'. Arrange the salad and beetroot round the salmon, scatter with the dill. Grind over some black pepper, drizzle with the remaining dressing and serve with toast, if you like.

Steps:

• If you aren't using smoked salmon trimmings then chop the salmon into small pieces. Tip the soft cheese, crème fraîche (if using) and lemon juice into a food processor, season generously with black pepper and blitz to your liking. Add the smoked salmon and pulse a few times if you want the paté chunky or blitz some more if you want the paté smooth and pink.
• Stir the herbs into the paté and spoon into a large or four smaller bowls and serve with warm toast as a starter or with breadsticks as a dip.