We’re rapidly heading towards the Christmas period so I’m thinking about seasonal menus for the restaurant.

One of the questions I’m often asked, apart from “how do I cook a turkey properly?” is what to do with salmon.

I’ll save the turkey recipe for next month.

At the restaurant we cure salmon and serve it in jars with some smoke inside the jar, it never fails to delight and add some fun to the dining experience when the jar is opened and smoke wafts out.

This will be on our menus at The Casterbridge from mid-November for the Christmas season.

I know that few will have a smoke gun at home, so this month I’ve included a fun and simple salmon recipe that uses salmon caviar or roe, it is delicious.

Forget sturgeon caviar, for me the best roe money can buy is salmon; its not as salty or as overtly fishy as true caviar.

If you like eating your salted anchovies by the tin, however, you might want to save up for the real stuff.

Salmon roe is stunning in appearance and this recipe is for a simple canapé that tastes great.

Salmon Caviar Canapes

Prepare: 30 minutes

Cook: 10 minutes

Makes 30

  • 50g salmon roe
  • 200g finely sliced cured salmon or gravadlax
  • 2 cooked beetroot
  • 1 focaccia loaf
  • Olive oil
  • Horseradish cream
  • Small bunch dill

Thinly slice the beetroot and trim into squares of about 20mm.

Cut six thin slices of the focaccia and then into squares of approximately 25mm then place on a baking tray and drizzle the focaccia squares with a little olive oil and bake at 180°C for five minutes until crispy.

Remove the crispy focaccia and spread a little horseradish cream on each, then place the beetroot on top followed by a generous slice of salmon and dress with a few roe and some dill tops.