Category Archives: Smoked salmon recipes

Luxury Prawn Cocktail Launched for Christmas

Complimentary sides, Food talks, Smoked salmon recipes,

Luxury Prawn CocktailSome things never go out of style and the 1980s dinner party classic of prawn cocktail is one of these. That’s why here at John Ross Jr. we’ve decided to launch our very own version of this seafood favourite ready for the festive season. And it tastes amazing with our traditional smoked salmon too!

Our John Ross Jr. luxury prawn cocktail uses only the finest North Atlantic prawns in a rich and creamy sauce to accentuate their full flavour. And with our larger-than-normal 400g pots they are the perfect size for entertaining over the run-up and during the Christmas period.

Vicky Leigh-Pearson, John Ross Jr.’s Sales Director, comments: “Prawn cocktail is a timeless classic and one that never fails to please. Whilst we’ve respected the essence of this traditional dish we’ve given it an extra layer of depth by using the highest quality and tastiest prawns available and combined it with a rich and creamy sauce that’s of a quality that people now come to expect from John Ross Jr.”

Not sold on this classic dish? Here are a few nutritional facts that may make a difference:

  • Prawns are very good for you. They are crammed full of vitamin E, and contain around 20 times more than is found in beef and chicken. This vitamin E is a fat soluble and is a powerful antioxidant, some evidence suggests that it can even prevent cardiovascular disease and stop some forms of cancer.
  • There is very little fat in prawns. In fact, 100g of prawns has 18 times less than the same sized serving of salmon.
  • Unlike some meats, eating shellfish does not raise blood cholesterol.

Would you love to try our luxury prawn cocktail? Then purchase some from our online shop here, we’re sure you’ll love it and be indulging this Christmas in a classic prawn cocktail. And don’t forget to let us know what you think on Facebook!

Savoury Treats: The Great British Bake Off is Back!

Smoked salmon recipes

BBC favourite The Great British Bake Off is back on our screens for another year. Filled with delectable nibbles and intricate recipes, it has become an audience favourite. We’re even fans! But who says that baked goods have to be sweet.

The Great British Bake Off(image: © The Guardian)

Here are a few recipes of our favourite savoury treats that go brilliantly with smoked salmon.

Onion Sponge, with Cream Cheese and Smoked Salmon

It may not be the obvious option, but you can bake a cake of onion, cheese and fish – and it tastes amazing! It will certainly stand out amongst other baked goods too. To make this unusual cake you will need:

  • 600g cream cheese
  • 2 packs (200g) of John Ross Jr. traditional smoked salmon
  • 150g pepperdew peppers
  • 150g red chili jam
  • 100g plain flour
  • 100g caster sugar
  • 25g unsalted butter
  • 25g toasted almonds
  • 1tbsp onion powder
  • 1tsp salt flakes
  • ½ tsp of cayenne pepper
  • ½ tsp black onion seeds
  • 4 eggs
  • A handful of green olives
  • And a pinch of salt


Method:

Start off by sieving the flour into the onion powder in a large bowl. Gently mix in the salt, cayenne pepper and onion seeds, and stir until combined well. Place this to one side.

Preheat your oven to 200°C (Gas mark 6) and grease an 8inch cake tin. You may also want to line it with grease proof paper.

Crack and whisk the eggs until smooth, and fold into the sugar. Continue to whisk until the mixture triples in volume. This may take a while, so if you have an electric beater we’d recommend you use this. When done, the mixture should be white and fluffy.

Fold in the flour mixture to the sugar and egg, melt the butter and pour this in too. Stir well and decant into the cake tin. Place in the oven and cook for about half an hour or until golden brown.

When cooked, remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack. Once cooled to room temperature, cover with a smooth layer of cream cheese and top with the smoked salmon, almonds, jam and olives in a pattern of your choice. Slice and serve as you would a regular (sweet) cake.

Smoked Salmon and Scrambled Egg Brioche

One of the great things about weekends is the ability to have a lie-in and breakfast in bed. And you are sure to love this brioche breakfast so much you’ll want it every morning of the week. Of course, brioche always tastes better warm fresh out of the oven, but we’ll forgive you if you cheat and buy it readymade.

Slice the pastry in half and sandwich with creamy scrambled eggs and the smoky salmon. A bite into this beauty is like heaven on a plate. We’re sure Mary Berry would be impressed.

Smoked Salmon Soufflés

For something a little more complicated to make, but much more impressive (they can be your technical challenge) try making smoked salmon soufflés. These lightly baked cakes make brilliant starters at a dinner party as they are light and flavourful. Plus they can be made in advance!

So will you be putting your baking skills to the test during this year’s Bake Off season? Let us know if you try any of these ideas and what you thought of them.

The Perfect Posh Picnic

Smoked salmon recipes

What a summer it’s been! The good news is that there’s still plenty of it left, so what better way to enjoy the sunshine than to kick back and enjoy a traditional British picnic.

And, if you’re reading our blog then the chances are that cheese sandwiches and pork pies aren’t going to cut it.

We’ve pulled together a few menu ideas (and a delicious, healthy salmon recipe) to get you on your way and help ensure that your picnic will be the one that stands out.

smoked-meats

First thing’s first…

Before we cover food, have you got the right kit? Ditch the plastic bag and try and go for that ‘deli-in-a-basket’ look using a traditional wicker hamper. Also, a picnic isn’t a picnic without a tartan blanket – and make sure it’s large. There’s nothing worse than having to sit on damp, cold grass.

The food

Falafel Scotch Eggs
We came across this great little recipe combining eggs with spiced, herbed chickpeas on the BBC Good Food website and absolutely love it! And it’s perfect for vegetarians, too.

Roquefort and Potato Scones with Sage
Where would we be without Delia? This recipe proves that she can still provide an interesting take on traditional food.

Squash Blossom Focaccia
A picnic wouldn’t be a picnic without bread. But rather than take the usual French stick why not try this delicious focaccia recipe.

Italian meat platter
You can’t go wrong with a selection of cured meats. Make sure you have a good choice such as Prosciutto, Salami, Bresaola, Parma and Serrano ham.

Now, on to the star of any picnic – smoked salmon. Try this easy to prepare yet wonderful recipe using our Kiln Roasted Salmon and add that special something to your outdoor dining experience.

Kiln Roasted Salmon Loaf

Ingredients

  • 2 x 160g packs of John Ross Jr’s Kiln Roasted Smoked Salmon
  • 140g crème fraiche
  • 1 x lemon (zest and the juice)
  • Handful of finely chopped fresh dill
  • 2 x large rustic loafs of bread
  • 1 x large tablespoon of capers
  • 1 x whole cucumber (thinly sliced)
  • 100g gherkins (thinly sliced)
  • 100g rocket or watercress
  • 2 x tablespoons wholegrain mustard

Method

Mix the crème fraiche, lemon zest, mustard and dill into a bowl.

Cut the loaves lengthways, as it making two large sandwiches, and spread the bread with a generous helping of the mixture.

In a bowl, toss the kin roasted smoked salmon, the lemon juice and capers before adding them on to the loaves.

Add the greenery before wrapping in parchment paper (or foil) ensuring that the sandwich is made nice and compact in advance of being served.

Smoked salmon slices & cuts explained

General fish chat, Smoked salmon recipes, Uncategorized

So, you’ve decided to host a party and chosen the type of smoked salmon you’d like to eat, however now you’re faced with a choice of cut.

Confused? If so, here’s our guide to the types of smoked salmon cuts you can buy so that you’re all ready and prepared for when you next buy smoked salmon online.

The most common slices of smoked salmon sides are D-cut sides and long sliced sides.

D-Cut sides

The D-cut side is the perfect way to buy smoked salmon if you’re entertaining. Here, you’ll find that the slices are cut into the salmon and the slice is in the shape of a ‘D’. The slice, which goes from the back to the belly, includes the salmon’s rich, flavoursome brown meat. Each slice is then carefully layered on top of each other, with great skill, in order to recreate the look of the original, uncut side.

Minimum weight of John Ross Jr’s D-cut sides: 900g

Portions: 16 – 18 (as a starter)

Long Sliced Side

This technique is the more modern method of slicing and involves slicing the salmon lengthways (from head to tail) so as to create a long thin slice of smoked salmon – without the brown meat. It is sometimes referred to as a ‘lateral’ slice. This type of slice is the most versatile when it comes to using smoked salmon in a wide range of dishes – from smoked salmon bagels to pasta dishes.

Minimum weight of John Ross Jr’s long sliced sides: 900g

Portions: 16 – 18 (as a starter)

The Fillet

The fillet isn’t something you see everyday and is usually reserved for special occasions (think fillet steak of the smoked salmon world!). The fillet comes from the crown of the salmon and is the most tender and succulent part of the fish – the true Rolls Royce of smoked salmon. In our case, with The Balmoral Fillet, the long whole fillet needs to be cut across its width in pieces that are around 3-4mm thick. Then, simply serve with fresh lemon and cracked black pepper using cocktail sticks.

The Balmoral Fillet_the jewel of the smoked salmon crown

Can you cut it?

If you’d like to take the slicing into your own hands then unsliced whole sides of smoked salmon are also available. Some chefs prefer unsliced sides as they often like to ‘slice to order’, which creates a fresher, richer taste. Equally, for the non-chefs amongst us, if entertaining, slicing your own carries with it a degree of food theatre, so here’s how to do it.

  • Make sure you a have sharp knife.
  • Make sure that you’re in a safe working environment.
  • Lay the salmon lengthways on a chopping board.
  • Place the knife a quarter of the way up the length of the fish (the head end), keeping it almost flat to the fish so that there is approximately only a 10 degree angle – i.e. so that the knife just about cuts into the fish.
  • Cut into the fish and then move backwards and forwards at the same time as moving slowly down towards the tail end of the fish.
  • Remember, whilst you can cut it to your own taste most people like to eat their smoked salmon in thin slices. A good way to keep it thin is to make sure that you can see the knife through the salmon as you cut.
  • Once you have cut the right amount for you and your guests, enjoy.
smoked salmon blini

Perfect wedding food dishes

Food talks, Smoked salmon recipes

Now that we’ve officially entered summer (aka wedding season), we thought it would be appropriate to provide you with a few easy salmon recipes to give your wedding that something extra.

Not only that but also these recipes are simple and inexpensive to make, which means you can spend more time and money on the other weddings essentials – such as champagne!

1. Smoked Salmon and Dill Cream Cheese Puffs

The bad news is that we stumbled across this recipe on an Italian website – in Italian. The good news is that we’ve translated it for you and it was well worth it, as it’s such an attention grabber and incredibly tasty, too.

For the cream puffs (makes 30):

•    150g flour
•    5 eggs
•    125ml milk
•    125ml water
•    100g butter
•    1 teaspoon sugar
•    ½ teaspoon salt
•    Poppy seeds

For the filling:

•    200g cream cheese
•    100g John Ross Jr Traditional Smoked Salmon
•    Watercress
•    Fresh or dried dill
•    2 tablespoons salt & pepper

To prepare the cream puffs:

Pour the water, milk, butter sugar and salt in a saucepan.

Bring to the boil and then take off the heat, add the flour and mix until the dough is smooth. Then place the pan on a medium heat and constantly stir so that it’s well mixed and the mixture is allowed to dry slightly. Transfer the mixture to large bowl and cool before adding four of the eggs – one at a time – stirring well so that each egg is well blended before adding the next.

Place in the fridge to cool even further for 10-15 minutes before adding the mixture into a piping bag.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and then pipe the mixture onto the paper, remembering that you should be aiming to get 30 pieces from the dough. Mix the yoke of the fifth egg with a tablespoon of milk and brush every ‘puff’ with the mixture before sprinkling poppy seeds on top of each of them.

Place in the oven at 200°C for approximately 10 minutes or until the puffs are a golden colour. Once cooked remove from the oven and cool on a rack.
To prepare the smoked salmon and cream cheese mixture:

Mix the cream cheese, dill, salt and freshly cracked black peppers and add into another piping bag. Cut the salmon into small strips enough for 30 puffs (or however many you have made).  Once cool, cut the puffs in half, as you would do with a hamburger bun, and pipe some of the mixture in. Place one of the salmon strips on top and close the lid. Once made, you can keep cool and serve when ready after garnishing each puff with watercress.

2. Smoked salmon mousse

It’s official. Smoked salmon mousse is delicious. Thanks to Annie for publishing this one on her website. It is quote possibly the quickest dish to make, too.

Ingredients

200g John Ross Jr Traditional Smoked Salmon
1 tablespoon of cream cheese
Dill weed (dried)
1 glove garlic, finely pressed/chopped
Mini crostinis (enough for two cups worth of mousse)

Method

Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until the mixture is smooth. Spread evenly on the crostinis. Simple.

Smoked salmon on plate

Come Dine With… John Ross Jr

Food talks, Smoked salmon recipes

Are you planning on hosting the ultimate foodies’ night in? Looking to impress but don’t quite know how to bowl over your guests from start(er) to finish?

There are countless easy smoked salmon recipes available online. Many are excellent. Some are less so. In order to help you get the most from your three courses we’ve created our very own menu – and one that everyone at John Ross Jr, from our Master Smoker to the Chairman, would give the seal of approval on.

Starter

We’ve named this dish Royal Smoked Salmon as it was created for John Ross Jr as part of the Coronation Festival – a celebration of the ‘Best of British’ Royal Warrant Holders in the gardens of Buckingham Palace in 2013 – by one of our favourite Executive Chefs, Paul Bates of InterContinental London Park Lane.

It’s simple to make and will guarantee to get your guests’ taste buds going from the outset.

Serves 4

Ingredients

100g John Ross Jr Traditional Smoked Salmon (thinly sliced)
50g Cornish claw crabmeat
200g frozen peas
100ml vegetable stock
Pea shoots
Fresh coriander (a handful)
Lemon juice (2 x teaspoons)
Mayonnaise (2 x tablespoons)
Chili flakes
2 whole red chillies
100ml olive oil

Preparation

Turn on the oven to 140 degrees Celsius. When at temperature, place the chili inside and dry for about 20 minutes. Take out and leave to cool.

Warm the olive oil, making sure you don’t boil it, then add a ¼ of the chili with seeds. Blend until red in colour and chill.

Julienne the remaining chili, discarding the remaining seeds.

Bring the vegetable stock to the boil and add the frozen peas. Cook, blend into a puree then chill.

Mix the Cornish Claw crabmeat with the lemon juice and Mayonnaise.

Lay the smoked salmon on the plate.

Serve up per the image, placing the pea puree around the place and using the peashoots as the garnish.

 

Main Course

Let’s face it. You can have too much of a good thing. So, whilst it may come as a surprise that smoked salmon doesn’t feature on our main course menu, you won’t be disappointed with our choice.

Beef Wellington

John Ross Jr’s Aberdeen Angus Beef Fillet (approx. 1kg)
3 x tablespoons olive oil
3 x shallots, finely chopped
250g mushrooms (mixed varieties will make the dish more flavoursome)
50g butter
A large sprig of fresh thyme
12 slices of parma ham
125ml Madeira wine
3 tbsp double cream
500g puff pastry
2 eggs (beaten) with a dash of water

500g new potatoes – mashed with plenty of butter, salt and a touch of pepper.
Greens (of your choice) – enough for four people

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Place the mushrooms in boiling water for 20 minutes. Take quote, squeeze and then finely chop.

Melt the butter, add the shallots and cook until their a lovely golden colour and nice and soft. Add the mushrooms and the thyme and cook lightly for around 5 minutes.

Poor in the wine, increase the heat and reduce the mixture until it’s thick. Once done, remove just over half the mixture and place in a bowl before mixing in the cream.

Choose a pan that can take your fillet, heat on high, add the oil and then, when hot, sear the fillet on both sides. Season very well with generous sprinklings of salt and pepper and set aside to cool.

Roll out the pastry to a rectangle shape, making sure that it will comfortably cover your fillet. Brush with the egg before evenly spreading the shallot, wine and cream mixture. Then carefully lay the parma ham slices along the pastry, slightly overlapping each slice, so that it’s well-placed to cover the fillet when its rolled.

Roll the fillet in the pastry, tuck in the edges and brush the outside with the remaining egg.

Place on a baking sheet set inside of a tray and cook until golden brown. Whilst this is cooking boil and mash your potatoes and prepare your greens.

When the wellington is cooked to your desired colour take out and set aside to cool for 5 minutes.

When all cooked simply serve with a glass of good quality Bordeaux and you’re good to go.

 

Dessert

James Martin’s Sticky Toffee Pudding

There’s nothing quite like sticky toffee pudding and everyone at John Ross Jr agrees. Now, we came across this fantastic recipe by James Martin on the BBC website so if you follow this we guarantee that you won’t be disappointed.

If you go for our menu please let us know. We’d love to know what you think. Simply email us at johnrossjr@johnrossjr.com.

What goes well with smoked salmon?

Food talks, Smoked salmon recipes

Smoked salmon is incredibly versatile and goes with a wide range of foods. So, if you’re looking for inspiration or want to make sure you have an ideal blend of protein and carbohydrate on your plate then read on.

On a bagel

Ask anyone how they like smoked salmon and they will often reply ‘on a bagel with cream cheese’. And why not, it’s delicious and makes an ideal lunch for when you’re on the go or even for when you want to sit back and appreciate the contrast in flavours. Just make sure that you buy smoked salmon that’s rich in flavour and has a firm texture to balance the soft and creamy taste and texture of the cheese.

Smoked Salmon perfect with pasta and salads

 

Tossed for that perfect pasta dish

Perfect for pasta lovers – and anyone who enjoys their fair share of carbs during their meal. A generous portion of rich, smoked salmon goes a long way with pasta, which makes it a tasty source of protein when tossed together with broccoli florets and a touch of Crème fraîche. Deliciously healthy.

Served with eggs

A double helping of protein however there’s no doubt that smoked salmon and eggs is a great match. Some prefer serving smoked salmon slices with scrambled egg on the side. Others prefer to finely chop their smoked salmon and add to the egg mixture when cooking. There’s no right or wrong way, it just comes down to taste. And, if you want to offset the protein content by adding a touch of carbs in there, too, then simply serve with a slice of toasted granary bread.

Smoked salmon and scrambled eggs

 

Bling blinis

There are countless recipes for canapés and blinis available – including some of our own under serving suggestions – so if you’re having a party or get-together the opportunities for using smoked salmon are endless.

Bread and butter

Simple, yet effective. Whilst not quite as bold as the bagel, granary bread and butter combined with smoked salmon is a fantastic partnership. All that it needs is a sprinkling of fresh lemon juice and cracked black pepper and you’re there.

Traditional Fish Dish for Good Friday

Food talks, Smoked salmon recipes

The Christian holiday of Good Friday is treated by the Catholic Church as a ‘fast day’. This means that it is not permitted by the church to cook red meats or pork or to indulge in alcoholic beverages. Because of this many Christian countries have a traditional ‘Fish Friday’, whereby the main meal of the day is a fish dinner often smaller than a typical meal.

Due to the restriction of not being allowed alcohol, it can eliminate a lot of white fish recipes but fish such as salmon are still firmly on the menu. Here are some tasty, traditional and easy salmon recipes for Good Friday:

 Herb Baked Salmon

Going back to basics not only provides you with much easier and faster recipes, but can also deliver a delicious dinner. Herb baked salmon can be finished from start to finish in under an hour and doesn’t include anything which isn’t traditionally allowed on Good Friday. The ingredients you need include:

2 salmon fillets
• 2-4 Tbsp. of chopped thyme, dill or parsley
• ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• ½ tsp. sea salt
• 1 tsp. oil

How to Cook:
1) Heat up the Oven to 100°C (yes one hundred Celsius)
2) Smear the oil on an oven-proof serving dish and place the fish on top. Add the herbs and seasoning to the top of the fish (both sides if it is skilled).
Tip: lightly brush the fish with oil to ensure the seasoning sticks
3) Bake the fish for 40-45 minutes or until the salmon begins to flake. Then take out and serve straight away. This goes very well with roast vegetables and tartar sauce and the succulent moist fish may quickly become a family favourite.

JRJ fish

[Source]

Salmon & Leek Parcels

This is a slightly more complicated recipe than the one above, but it is still relatively easy and from start to finish it takes under an hour. Again, all the ingredients comply with the rules of Good Friday making this a perfect dish for even the most devote Catholic. What you need for this dish:

 

• 4 Leeks – trimmed and finely chopped
• 25g of butter
• 100g cream cheese or full-fat crème fraiche
• 6 sheets filo pastry
• 2 skinless salmon fillets

 

How to Cook:
1) Heat the Oven to 200°C
2) Put the leeks into a large saucepan and add a few tablespoons of water and a knob of butter. Cover the pan and cook for around 10 minutes or until tender. Once tender remove from the pan and allow to cool before mixing with the cream cheese or crème fraiche.
3) To make the parcels you need to mush a sheet of pastry with melted butter and then lay 2 more sheets on top ensuring that you brush the melted butter between each layer. Place a salmon fillet in the centre of the pastry, season it with salt and pepper then spoon over half the leek mix.
4) Fold the end of the pastry over the top of the fillet, pull up the sides and then scrunch it all together in order to seal it. Repeat this process with the second fillet.
5) Brush both the parcels with melted butter and place them onto a baking sheet, cooking for 20-25mins until golden brown and crispy. Serve hot with a green salad end enjoy!

3 Recipes to Encourage Your Kids to Eat More Fish

Food talks, Smoked salmon recipes

How often do your children eat fish? Seafood should be a key part of any young person’s diet, as it contains many of the nutrients needed for work, rest and play – from essential fatty acids to precious proteins immunity-boosting minerals.

Because fish is so versatile, it’s easy and inexpensive to work it into your little ones’ meals. Here are three cheap, tasty fishy meals for families of 4:
1 – Creamy smoked salmon pasta

This is one of the tastiest easy salmon recipes.

  • Ingredients:
  • 600g pasta
  • Splash of olive oil
  • Chopped garlic
  • Sliced red onion
  • 200g smoked salmon flakes
  • 200ml cream cheese
  • Parsley

Method

Place the pasta in boiling water and drain once it’s soft.
Meanwhile, fry the garlic and onion in the olive oil for around 3 minutes until the vegetables are soft.
Add the salmon to the vegetables then add in the cream cheese. Heat it all through but don’t bring to the boil.
Stir in the pasta and season with salt, pepper and parsley.

2 – Fish pie

It’s impossible to go wrong with a great fish pie. It’s often cheaper to buy the individual fish pieces separately, though sometimes supermarkets will offer discounts on fish pie mix.

Ingredients:

  • 500ml milk
  • 50g plain flour
  • 50ml white wine
  • 250g smoked haddock
  • 200g cod
  • 1 onion
  • 2 leeks
  • 150g prawns
  • 3 quartered hard-boiled eggs
  • Peas
  • 1 kg potatoes
  • Lemon zest

Method

Boil the potatoes in salted water. Drain and mash them with a splash of milk and a little butter. Fry off the onion and the leeks in a pan until they’re softened but not brown.
Heat the milk in a pan then simmer the cod and haddock for 6 minutes until cooked then remove from the pan.
Melt a little butter in the pan then add the flour gently while constantly stirring then add the milk and wine gradually. When it’s all smooth, let it cook for around 5 minutes and add in lemon zest.
Add the eggs and prawns to the mixture then transfer to an ovenproof dish.
Top with the mashed potatoes, season and decorate the mash with lumps of leftover butter and a fork.
Bake for 25 minutes, or until bubbling and serve with peas.

3 – Tuna Fish Cakes

Homemade fish cakes are easy to make and taste loads better than anything you’d buy in the supermarket. Try multiplying the quantities, cooking in bulk and freezing for a rainy day. This recipe cooks for 4.

Ingredients:

  • 300g peeled potatoes, chopped into even chunks
  • 200g tinned tuna
  • Parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 egg
  • Juice of one lemon
  • 1 tbsp plain flour

Method

Bring your potatoes to the boil and cook until soft.
Mash the potatoes with a little butter and allow them to cool.
Put them into a bowl and mix with the flour and the tuna.
Mix in the egg, lemon and parsley as well as plenty of salt and pepper.
Once the mixture is well fused together, divide it into even amounts and pat it into a cylindrical shape.
Cover the cakes well with flour. For best results, wrap them in cling film and allow them to cool in the fridge for an hour.
Then, heat a little olive oil in a frying pan and cook your fishcakes for 4 minutes, or until they’re crisp on the outside and a little golden.
Serve with fresh leaves or steamed summer vegetables.