Description
Discover the art of Fish Charcuterie with our expert guide. Learn techniques for preparing exquisite seafood platters that will impress at your next gathering.
Ingredients
- 4 ounce (113 g) s cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) sour cream
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice
- 2 teaspoon (10 ml) s drained prepared horseradish
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- One 4-ounce tin smoked trout, drained
- 2 tablespoon (30 ml) s chopped fresh chives, plus more for garnish
- 2 tablespoon (30 ml) s chopped fresh Italian parsley, plus more for garnish
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) chopped fresh dill, plus more for garnish
- One 4-ounce tin octopus (12 to 14 pieces)
- 12 to 14 good-quality pitted green olives
- 12 to 14 small strips jarred piquillo peppers
- 12 to 14 small cocktail onions
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) sherry vinegar
- 1 tin smoked mussels in oil
- 1 tin ventresca (tuna belly) in oil
- 1 tin cockles in brine
- 1 tin anchovies in oil
- 1 tin sardines in spiced tomato sauce
- Assorted crudité: sliced fennel, radishes, endive spears, sliced cucumber, bell pepper strips, celery sticks, cherry tomatoes
- Assorted breads and nibbles: sliced baguette, cocktail pumpernickel bread, rice crackers, olive oil potato chips, salted roasted chickpeas, salted Marcona almonds
- Assorted pickled items: olives, giardiniera, pickled mushrooms, Spanish pickled peppers, caperberries
- Assorted condiments: aïoli (garlic mayonnaise), good-quality unsalted butter, chili crisp
- Flaky salt
Instructions
- For the smoked trout spread: Blend together the cream cheese, sour cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, and horseradish in a food processor. Add a touch of salt and plenty of freshly ground pepper. Blend until silky smooth, occasionally scraping the sides of the processor. Break the trout into pieces, incorporate it into the mix, and pulse briefly to mix everything. Move to a serving dish and mix in the chives, parsley, and dill. Sprinkle additional chopped herbs on top and chill until serving time.
- For the octopus skewers: Remove and save 2 tablespoons of the oil from the octopus, placing it in a medium-sized bowl. Add the octopus, olives, piquillos, and onions (if used) to the bowl. Pour the sherry vinegar and sherry over the mixture. Allow to marinate while you prepare the board, or refrigerate for one to two hours for a stronger taste.
- When assembling the skewers, fold the pepper strips into squares and thread them onto a small (5-inch) wooden skewer. Add a piece of octopus and an olive. Optionally, include a cocktail onion or a folded piece of ham like the pepper. Continue with the rest of the ingredients, creating 12 to 14 skewers. Place them on a serving plate and pour the marinade over them.
- For the board: When it’s time to put together the board, position 4 tins of seafood in the corners of a large serving board and the fifth tin in the center. Add the smoked trout spread and skewers to the arrangement. Place your selected crudités, breads, snacks, pickles, and condiments around the board, using bowls as needed. Set a small bowl with salt on the board. Generally, arrange complementary items near each seafood tin, but there are no strict rules on placement. Ensure each tin, spread, and condiment has its own small utensil for serving to prevent flavor mixing.
Notes
- Ensure cream cheese reaches room temperature for smooth blending with sour cream and seasonings.
- Marinate octopus in the fridge for an hour to enhance flavors from the vinegar and oil.
- Generously use freshly ground black pepper in both the trout spread and octopus skewers.
