Smoked Trout Paté

Directions

1. Remove the skin from the fish and discard. Crumble or flake the fish into a bowl using two forks (one in each hand moving away from each other in the bowl) or your hands if you prefer. If the top of your fillet has a hard crust from the smoking process, you can pick out the larger, hard bits if you prefer. I like to leave in most, as they have the smoky flavor, but I try to make sure to break them down.
2. Add cottage cheese and crème fraîche and mix well with a spoon. If the mixture seems dry, add another dollop of cottage cheese. I like a smooth consistency so using the back of the spoon, I "smooth out" some of the cottage cheese curds against the side of the bowl.
3. Sprinkle a pinch of salt (if your fish isn't particularly salty), a couple of grinds of pepper and the horseradish and mix well.
4. Add the chives, reserving a pinch for a garnish. Mix gently.
5. Put into serving bowl and sprinkle the remaining chives on top. If not serving right away, refrigerate, but take it out about 1/2 hour before serving so it can come to room temperature which will make spreading easier. Serve with thin slices of baguette or crispy toast crackers.