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Prep time
20 minutes
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Serves
many as an hors d'Oeuvre
Author Notes
I read in Food & Wine that chef April Bloomfield made a trout pate at the John Dory in NY. The article gave no recipe, just said that the pate is made with crème fraîche and cottage cheese. That sounded up my alley, with cottage cheese instead of mayo and...I'm a sucker for crème fraîche. After several attempts, I came up with a version that seems very popular at all our large parties. - healthierkitchen —healthierkitchen
Test Kitchen Notes
WHO: Healthierkitchen is a retired attorney and an avid home cook.
WHAT: A quick and dirty party app that tastes like it took much longer to make.
HOW: Just mix, stir, garnish, and eat while holding a cocktail in the other hand.
WHY WE LOVE IT: This appetizer has enough smokiness to keep guests going back for more, but not so much that they're exhausted before they get to the other spreads on the table. And, it's a host's dream -- it only requires a quick stir before it's ready to serve —The Editors
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Ingredients
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1/2 pound
smoked trout fillet
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2/3 cup
2% cottage cheese
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2 tablespoons
crème fraîche, heaping
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1/4 cup
chopped fresh chives
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1/2 teaspoon
prepared white horseradish, drained
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1 pinch
salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
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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.
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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.
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Sprinkle a pinch of salt (if your fish isn't particularly salty), a couple of grinds of pepper and the horseradish and mix well.
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Add the chives, reserving a pinch for a garnish. Mix gently.
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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.
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