This week, a classic, with our own little twist. Rillettes is (are? We never know!) a wonderful and easy way to make a great spreadable pâté that’s great as a light lunch, a starter for a bigger meal, or just a handy topping for crackers or toasts when an impromptu aperitif session breaks out! It would also fold into a bowl of fresh pasta to make a very quick and easy supper! This recipe is an adaptation by Stephen from an original by the great Newcastle-born chef Terry Laybourne, who cooked alongside Stephen at The Weavers Shed many years ago, on one of the restaurant’s regular guest chef dinners. Stephen remembers this recipe was particularly popular. It’s incredibly versatile, and we thought it would suit our delicious smoked trout down to the ground. It’s a great recipe for any time of year, but perfect for a colder evening.
Credit: Stephen Jackson
Ingredients
300g fresh trout (or salmon) fillet, skinned and boned
80g butter, diced, and at room temperature
1 tablespoon Yorkshire Rapeseed Oil
1 tablespoon Mascarpone
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped green fish-friendly herbs (chives / tarragon / parsley / chervil)
125g Burnt Hill traditional cure smoked trout, finely chopped
A pinch of Piment d'Espelette / Aleppo Pepper (or your preferred spicy pepper flakes)
Sea salt
A few grinds of white pepper (or black pepper if you don’t mind how it looks)
Method
Set a steamer basket over a pan of gently simmering water. Season the fresh fish lightly, and cook for about 5 minutes. You are looking for a piece of fish that’s part cooked, but still a little translucent on the inside. This adds a lovely texture to the rillettes. If you don’t have the facility to steam the fish, pop it in the microwave and cook on full power for about 3 minutes. Allow the fish to cool completely, then mash gently with the back of a fork, leaving plenty of texture. Next, whip the butter until pale and fluffy, and slowly incorporate the oil and lemon juice, then add the mascarpone. Fold the fish into this mixture, along with the chopped smoked trout, the herbs, the pepper, and seasoning according to taste. Bring everything together and decant into a suitable container (individual pots, Kilner jars etc.) and refrigerate. Allow the rillettes to come up to room temperature before serving.
Our suggested accompaniments would include:
Toasted or grilled bread (baguettes, sourdough loaf)
