Music in your mouth - Salmon, dill and asparagus terrine, a symphony of delicate colours, textures and tastes

Salmon, dill and asparagus terrine

Serves 6-8

Time: 3 hours

To drink: Sumaridge Maritimus 2009 blends zesty sauvignon blanc with creamy, toasty chardonnay, buffered by the nettly semillon component which will stand up to creaminess.

• 400g smoked salmon
• 250g smooth cream cheese
• l00g creme fraiche
• juice of 1/2 a lemon
• 10ml (2 tsp) creamed horseradish
• 30ml (2 tbsp) fresh dill, finely chopped
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 packet green asparagus, blanched

1. Lightly sprinkle a terrine dish with water and line with plastic wrap, leaving some hanging over the sides.
2. Neatly line the base and sides of the dish with overlapping slices of salmon, leaving the ends of the salmon strips hanging over the sides of the dish. Refrigerate for 20 minutes
3. In a bowl, combine the cream cheese, creme fraiche, lemon juice, horseradish and dill. Mix well and season. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
4. Spoon half the cream cheese mixture into the terrine and level the top. Lay the asparagus spears on this surface and top with the remaining cream cheese mixture.
5. Wrap the overhanging salmon strips and the plastic wrap over the top and carefully press down on the terrine with a heavy object. Refrigerate for about 2 hours.
6. Open the top of the plastic and turn the terrine out on a flat surface. Peel off the plastic, slice and serve chilled. For a textured variation, add a layer of blanched spinach between the salmon and the cream cheese.

Recipe by Anna Montali Styling by Nomvuselelo Mncube Photograph by Greame Borchers.

This Article was taken from the January 2011 Issue of Food & Home