Kipper cream can be served with hot toast or small savoury biscuits for cocktail canapes.
ingredients
serves 4 - 6
6 ounce kipper fillets
1/4 pint thin white sauce
4 level tablespoons mayonnaise
pinch of ground nutmeg
1 egg, separated
1 dessertspoon lemon juice
salt and pepper
gelatine to set 3 tablespoons cold water
1/4 cucumber, sliced thinly
method
1. Make the cream the day before it is required. Cook the kipper fillets and leave them to cool.
2. Remove the skin and any bones and place the flesh in a bowl.
3. Mix in the white sauce, mayonnaise, nutmeg, egg yolks and lemon juice.
4. Check the mixture for seasoning.
5. Dissolve the gelatine in the water over a gentle heat then stir it into the kipper mixture.
6. Finally whisk the egg whites until stiff and, with a metal spoon, fold into the mixture.
7. Lightly oil a 1 pint dish and pour the cream into it.
8. Smooth over the surface then leave to set.
9. To serve, either leave it in the dish and arrange the cucumber slices around the edge or loosen the cream from the dish, turn it on to a plate and arrange whole cucumber slices around the base and halved cucumber slices around the top of the cream.
White Sauce
1 1/4 cups milk
bay leaf
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
salt and white pepper
pinch of nutmeg or mace
1. To make a roux, melt the butter in a pan. Off" the heat add the flour and stir in. Return to the heat and cook for 2 minutes, stirring continually.
2. For a white sauce, warm the milk in a separate pan. Heat through for easing blending but on no account let it boil.
3. Off the heat add a little warm milk to the roux. Stir vigorously until blended. Add the remaining milk, stirring all the time.
4. Return to the heat, stirring all the time. Bring to the boil. Add seasonings then cover and cook over a low heat for up to 5 minutes.
