Appetizer · Modern · Easy

Smoked Salmon Pâté

Name: Smoked Salmon Pâté
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 260 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Modern
Ingredients: 400 g cold-smoked salmon, finely chopped; 40 g unsalted butter, very soft / room temperature; 80 g mayonnaise; 40 g crème fraîche or sour cream; 10 g Dijon mustard (about 2 tsp); 15 g shallot, very finely minced, or 30 g scallions, white part only; 10 g capers, rinsed, dried, and finely minced (optional but recommended); 8–10 g fresh herbs, finely minced — ideally dill and parsley; Zest of 1/2 lemon; 10–15 g lemon juice, starting with 10 g and adjusting to taste; Black pepper, to taste; Salt, only if needed

A gift-worthy cold-smoked salmon pâté scaled for 400 g salmon, with crème fraîche, Dijon, capers, dill, parsley, and lemon. Serve chilled with crackers, toast points, or sandwiches.

Appetizers, spreads, snacks, and small plates.

Prep20 min

Cook—

Total4 hours 20 minutes

Serves8

Ingredients

400 g cold-smoked salmon, finely chopped
40 g unsalted butter, very soft / room temperature
80 g mayonnaise
40 g crème fraîche or sour cream
10 g Dijon mustard (about 2 tsp)
15 g shallot, very finely minced, or 30 g scallions, white part only
10 g capers, rinsed, dried, and finely minced (optional but recommended)
8–10 g fresh herbs, finely minced — ideally dill and parsley
Zest of 1/2 lemon
10–15 g lemon juice, starting with 10 g and adjusting to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Salt, only if needed

Method

Prep the salmon: chop the smoked salmon finely, but not into a paste. Keep some texture.
Build the base: in a medium bowl, mash together the soft butter, mayonnaise, crème fraîche or sour cream, Dijon, lemon zest, and 10 g lemon juice until smooth and homogeneous.
Add aromatics: mix in the shallot, capers, herbs, and black pepper.
Fold in salmon: add the chopped salmon and gently fold until evenly distributed.
Taste and adjust: add more lemon juice if it needs lift. Add salt only if truly needed, as smoked salmon is usually salty enough.
Chill: cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
Serve: bring to room temperature for 10–15 minutes before serving. Drizzle a few drops of olive oil on top, then finish with extra dill or cracked pepper. Serve with sandwiches, crackers, or toast points.