Smoked Trout Mousse

Once upon a time, at least 10 years ago, I made a version of this mousse from the Silver Palate Cookbook and it was absolutely the fanciest thing I had ever (successfully) made. It's been a loooooooong time since I made it. To my surprise, it really wasn't as difficult as I remembered --so says the more experienced me anyway.

The original Silver Palate recipe is for Salmon Mousse which is also good, but I think I prefer my version with the super smoky trout, crisp chives, and the underlying smokiness that comes from adding a dash of pimentón, a smoked Spanish paprika. For me, the whipped cream folded in is what makes it; the texture is so light.

To serve 8-10 people as an hors d'oeuvre:

• 1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
• 3 tablespoons cold water
• 1/4 cup boiling water
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• juice of half a small lemon
• 2 teaspoons finely minced shallot
• 2 dashes Tabasco
• 1/4 teaspoon pimentón
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
• 1 cup finely flaked smoked trout (make sure to get all the small bones out)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

In a large bowl, stir together the gelatin and cold water. Add the boiling water and whisk until the gelatin is dissolved. Add the mayo, lemon juice, shallot, Tabasco, pimentón, and salt and mix thoroughly. Place the bowl in the fridge for 30 minutes so the mixture can chill and thicken a bit.

Meanwhile, whip the cream until soft peaks form. Stir the trout and chives into the mayo mixture and then fold in the whipped cream. Spoon into a glass bowl or bowls (or any mold), and smooth the top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight, which is so convenient.

To unmold, run a knife around the edge of the bowl and then quickly turn it out onto the platter you will be serving it on. Give it a few taps and gentle shakes and it should come out nicely. Serve with crostinis, crackers, or crudites.