Smoked Trout Pate.

Serves 4.

Ingredients

• 200 g cream cheese
• 150 g smoked trout fillets, hot smoked if possible
• 1 tbsp hot pepper sauce
• 1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
• handful dill
• squeeze of lemon juice
• crostini or granary toast, to serve

For the cucumber pickle
• 1 mini cucumber, or 1/3 of a cucumber
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp caster sugar
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced

Method
1. Beat the soft cheese in a bowl until softened. Flake the fish and stir into the soft cheese along with the hot pepper sauce, salt, pepper and dill. Add the lemon juice to taste then spoon into a serving bowl and chill.

2. For the pickle, mix together the vinegar, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Add the red onion.

3. Halve the cucumber lengthways and scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon. Thinly slice the cucumber, slightly on the diagonal to make crescents. Add to the red onion and mix well. Chill.

4. To serve, toast the granary bread (if using) and thickly spread it or your crostini with the pâté. Finish with a little pickled cucumber.