Rillettes of fresh and smoked salmon

Method

1. For the smoked salmon: melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the smoked salmon and 1 tablespoon of water. Cover and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the salmon no longer looks opaque. Leave this to cool considerably.

2. For the rillettes: cream the softened butter in a bowl. With two forks, shred the fresh and the cold smoked salmon and mix well together. Stir the shreds into the softened butter still using a fork (do not use a food processor). Season with salt and freshly ground pepper and lots of freshly grated nutmeg. Taste and add lemon juice as necessary, and some freshly chopped fennel if you have it.

3. Spoon this mixture into individual pots or in a pottery terrine. Cover with a layer of clarified butter if you wish (see below). Serve with hot toast, melba toast or hot crusty white bread. Salmon rillettes will keep well in the refrigerator for 5 or 6 days provided they are sealed with clarified butter.

4. For the clarified butter: melt the butter gently in a saucepan or in a dish in the oven. Let this stand for a few minutes before spooning the crusty white layer of salt particles off the top. Clarified butter is the clear liquid underneath the crust. The top layer of milky liquid can be discarded or used in a white sauce.

(Clarified butter is excellent for cooking because it can withstand a higher temperature when the salt and milk particles are removed. It will keep covered in a refrigerator for several weeks.)