Smoked salmon and cucumber timbale with a winter leaf salad and house dressing
Prep time 1-2 hours
Cook time 1-2 hours
Serves 2
From Christmas Kitchen with James Martin
Cucumber wrapped parcels of salmon and soft cheese makes an elegant starter that can be made up to a day in advance.
Method
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Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Grease and line two ramekins with cling film.
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Lightly oil the strips of cucumber. Line the ramekins with the cucumber leaving an overhang at the sides (this will be folded over to cover the top later).
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Mix together the ricotta cheese, egg yolk, salmon and smoked salmon, dill and lemon juice. Use this to fill the ramekins and smooth the tops.
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Fold over the cucumber and cling film to seal and place in the fridge for at least an hour.
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Put the ramekins in a deep ovenproof dish. Add enough boiling water to come half way up the sides of the ramekins. Cook for 15-20 minutes, then set aside to cool.
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For the salad, put the spinach and frisée in a large bowl.
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Combine all the other ingredients in a blender until smooth. Just before serving, toss the salad leaves in the some of the dressing. (Any leftover dressing can be kept in the fridge for a few days.)
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To serve, turn out the timbale onto plates and serve the dressed salad alongside. Dress the plate with the herb oil, if using.
Ingredients
For the smoked salmon
- vegetable oil, for greasing
- 1 cucumber, peeled and cut into long strips using a vegetable peeler
- 115g/4oz ricotta cheese
- 1 egg yolk, beaten
- 125g/4½oz salmon fillet, skinned and cut into small pieces
- 50g/1¾oz smoked salmon, cut into small pieces
- 2 tsp chopped fresh dill
- ½ lemon, juice only
For the winter leaf salad
- 20g/¾oz baby spinach leaves
- 20g/¾oz frisée lettuce, central leaves removed
- 20g/¾oz French dressing
- 30g/1oz honey
- 30ml/1fl oz white balsamic vinegar
- 500ml/18fl oz vegetable oil
- 5g finely chopped shallot
- ½ garlic clove, finely sliced
- 1 tsp chopped fresh basil
- 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tsp chopped chives
- 1 tsp chopped fresh parsley
- dash herb oil (optional)
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