November is the perfect month to explore smoky flavours. I’ve invested in a small, stovetop smoker and have experimented at home with duck and fish – if you want to follow my example, I’d recommend doing it outside, perhaps on your barbecue, if you and your home don’t want to be perfumed with ‘eau de applewood chips’ for days afterwards...
Hot-smoked salmon rillettes
The hot-smoking in this respect refers to the method used and not how the fish itself is consumed, which is usually cold. The firm texture makes it ideal for flaking into salads or, in this case, as the star ingredient in a rough paté. Serves 4 as a light lunch with salad or as a starter.
Ingredients
• 2 small, hot-smoked salmon fillets (around 180g)
• 3 heaped tbsp cream cheese
• Zest and a little of the juice from one lemon
• Around 6 chives, chopped finely
• 1 tsp creamed horseradish (optional)
• Black pepper
Method
Having removed the skin, place the salmon fillets in a bowl.
Flake them apart with a fork, checking for and removing any small bones that might still be present.
Add the cream cheese, lemon zest and chopped chives (and creamed horseradish if using).
Continue to ‘mash’ with the back of the fork until everything is combined but still has some salmon texture (you don’t want this to be too smooth so don't use processor, or the pate will become pasty, with an unpleasant mouth feel).
Check for seasoning. It won’t normally need salt, but this is subjective so do add if you so wish, along with the juice of around half the lemon juice and some cracked black pepper.
Serve with hot toast and pickles, such as cornichons.
Smoked Tofu with Pak choi and plum sauce
I was never a huge fan of tofu until I had this smoked version. It has been pressed, so the texture is firm, and is a great substitute for chicken or pork in dishes you might be converting to vegetarian or vegan. You could bulk this out and serve with rice. Serves 2.
Ingredients
• Vegetable oil
• 4 spring onions, trimmed and sliced
• Around 200g pak choi (the amounts doesn’t have to be too precise) washed and sliced - I like to slice them lengthwise for more texture.
• Large handful of another green vegetable, like mangetout or sugar snaps
• 150g smoked tofu, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 5 tbsp plum sauce (readily available in supermarkets)
• 4 tbsp soya sauce
• Small red chilli (optional)
Method
In a wok or large frying pan pour a little oil (about 2 tbsp) and turn onto a medium/high heat.
Add the spring onions, sliced pak choi and other green veg and stir fry until they just start to wilt a little.
Add the tofu to the pan and allow to sizzle with the vegetables for a minute or so (don’t stir too much as it will break up)
Lastly add the plum and soya sauce and sliced chilli (if using) and toss everything together so that the sauce covers everything. Serve immediately.
Smoked salt, almond and chocolate chunk cookies
There are a few smoked salts on the market (available via mail-order or in the 'cook's ingredients' sections of supermarkets), and I love using them in savoury and sweet dishes. Added to these cookies along with the smoked almonds, it stops them being overly rich. Served very slightly warm, these are perfect. Makes 8
Ingredients
• 50g olive oil
• 40g milk
• 120g soft brown sugar
• Approx. 1 heaped tsp smoked salt (NB just a pinch in the recipe, the rest goes on top of the cookies)
• 130g plain flour
• 1/2tsp baking powder
• 90g dark chocolate roughly cut into small pieces (use the good stuff with 70% cocoa solids)
• 30g smoked almonds (if you can’t get smoked do at least get toasted almonds) chopped into small pieces
Method
- Pre-heat oven at 180C.
- Mix together the oil, milk, brown sugar and a pinch of the smoked salt. Give it a good stir.
- Add the flour, baking powder, chocolate and almonds. Mix until all combined then refrigerate for at least an hour or so to firm up.
- Take the mix from the fridge and divide into 8 (should be around 55 grams each)
- Roll into balls and place onto a lined baking sheet.
- Press down slightly to flatten the top and sprinkle with a little more of the smoked salt.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- They will still be slightly soft when coming out of the oven so let them cool on the tray for a couple of minutes. Eat while slightly warm for the optimum experience.
