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Happy Bonus Recipe Day!
I love researching the Bonus Recipe when the calendar shows that extra Wednesday in a month. And KD readers 
love them too. Here’s a recap of the ones that had lots of happy campers: Tomato Tart from Fore Street Grill, Steak Au Poivre, and Joy’s Pumpkin Cookies. They were the top three Bonus Recipes for last year according to the number of times they were downloaded from our recipe archives. This month we have one that is perfect for spring and summer from a French cook’s first course with smoked haddock. Smoked haddock is called Finnan Haddie in the US, based on some confusing Scottish origins. It has been impossible for me to source it locally in the Washington DC area, so I have used a variety of smoked trout instead. You can purchase excellent smoked haddock through Stonington Seafood in Maine. Stonington produces a lovely smoked mackerel too. I keep them both in the freezer. But, whether you use the smoked haddock, smoked trout, or a hot-smoked salmon, Agnès’s recipe can be made a day or two before serving. If you are local, check out the Ivy City Smokehouse for their smoked trout filets. Or even their hot smoked salmon, as that purees better than the gravlax style. We have bought them there, and they were excellent,
La Vie En Rose with Agnès And Simon Liothaud
They live in Montmartre. They have a house overlooking the sea in Corsica. Simon is a dapper dinner host 
and wine connoisseur. Agnès is a marvelous cook and sets a mean table. When Agnès shucks oysters, Simon wisely stays out of her way. I have never seen anyone who shucked them faster (outside of pros at real oyster houses). They have children and grandchildren both in the US and in France whom they take great delight in spoiling; and if we are lucky, we get to see them once a year. Agnès packs her suitcase with smoked haddock and brings it along with Simon when they visit here. When we invite them over for dinner, Agnès always brings over “a little something” that she has just thrown together for drinks before dinner. And whatever she has thrown together is always wonderful. I can’t give you their life, but I can give you her recipe for Terrine of Smoked Haddock. It’s delicious, easy, and perfect garnished with a salad or those microgreens that we told you about in this earlier post. Finish it with a drizzle of a fragrant but not sharp olive oil and fresh herbs from your newly planted pots. Done.
A note on sheet gelatin vs. powdered gelatin: I prefer the sheet gelatin as it dissolves better than the powdered. You can really see the difference when you use it in any clear gelatin recipe. The granules can give a sandy taste and appearance. I buy mine from MOM’s Organic Market but it available from Amazon too.
- 400 gr (just under 9oz) smoked haddock - removing skin and bones, if any, will leave you with about 380 gr..
- 75 grams (1/3 cup) melted unsalted butter
- 75 grams (1/3 cup) cream
- 1dcl ( just under 7 tbs) warm chicken stock (preferably a pale clear one),
- juice from two lemons or 1 lemon and 1 lime
- 15 grams leaf gelatin, softened in cold water (5tsp powdered gelatin)
- Addition of ground white pepper, finely diced shallots, or chives, according to your taste
- Us a 3.5 cup to 4 cup mold (3/4 liter to 1 liter) or you can make individual servings in ramekins.
- Line a large mold with cling wrap or brush with olive oil.
- Individual molds can be lined with circles of parchment at the interior base I wipe the interior sides with olive oil on those too. .
- Poach the smoked fish for 2 to 3 minutes, which will soften the smoked flavor and make it easier to remove the skin.
- Remove any bones and skin and pull apart haddock into large chunks
- Heat the chicken stock, then add the butter to melt, and when it is warm, add the softened gelatin.
- Mix all the ingredients together in a blender or a food processor
- Pour into mold or molds of your choice.
- Refrigerate overnight or at least several hours before slicing or unmolding.
- Serve on plates with salad garnish of your choice.
- You can substitute smoked trout or other smoked white fish.
- If I use shallots, I blend those in with the main ingredients.
- If I use chives (about 3 tbs, finely chopped) then I fold them in just before pouring into the molds.
- White pepper has a softer "peppery" flavor and looks nicer in this terrine.
- In the photo i used a garnish of crushed pink peppercorns too - they give a light and sweet peppery hit.
After owning one of the best cooking stores in the US for 47 years, Nancy Pollard writes a blog about food in all its aspects – recipes, film, books, travel, superior sources and food related issues.
