Smoked Trout Mousse With Orange And Chives

By á-170456

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups fromage blanc or quark
• 3 ounces cream cheese room temperature
• 3 large garlic cloves finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 1/4 pound smoked trout fillet skinned, and coarsely chopped
• 1 Finely-shredded zest of 2 oranges
• 2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives plus
• one -inch lengths for garnish
• 35 cracked-pepper water biscuits or cocktail-size pumpernickel bread slices

Details

Servings 2

Preparation

Step 1

In a food processor, combine the fromage blanc, cream cheese, garlic, salt and cayenne and process until smooth. Add the smoked trout and half the orange zest, and pulse a few times just to combine.

Transfer to a bowl and gently stir in the snipped chives. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.

Scoop the mousse into small soufflé dishes or other serving bowls. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving. Scatter the remaining orange zest and the chive lengths over the top of the mousse and serve with the water biscuits.

This recipe yields about 2 cups.

Fromage blanc is a French-style fresh cheese made from cow's milk. Quark is the German version. Both are tangy and naturally low in fat and are increasingly available in well-stocked food stores. Small-curd cottage cheese or pot cheese may be substituted. If using the former, whirl briefly in a food processor to refine the texture.

For a more pungent spread, double the amount of smoked trout.