Blinis Platter

Blinis Platter
This is the ultimate Christmas party platter – pairing shop-bought blinis and crostini with homemade pâtés and dips is the ideal way to make a little effort go further. Guests can choose between smoky mackerel or creamy salmon pâté, can top crostini with chive cheese dip, or layer blinis with lemon crème fraîche and smoked salmon. With this DIY recipe, preparing an impressive Christmas party platter is easier than it looks. See method

Serves 8
35 mins to prepare
354 calories / serving
Ingredients
120g pack smoked salmon slices
133g pack mini blinis
100g pack toasted crostini
cornichons, to serve (optional)
For the mackerel pâté
225g pack smoked mackerel, skinned
65g 50% less fat soft cheese
65g 50% less fat crème fraîche
½ lemon, zested
1 tbsp chopped dill, plus extra to garnish
For the salmon pâté
180g pack hot smoked salmon
65g 50% reduced fat soft cheese
65g 50% reduced fat crème fraîche
15g chopped tarragon
1 tbsp creamed horseradish sauce
For the lemon crème fraîche
1½ lemons, 1 cut into wedges, ½ zested, plus 1 tsp juice
100g 50% less fat crème fraîche
For the chive cheese
15g snipped chives

Method
To make the mackerel pâté, flake the mackerel into a food processor. Add the other pâté ingredients and blitz until smooth but still with some texture. Season with pepper and transfer to a serving dish. Repeat to make the salmon pâté.
Stir the lemon zest and juice into the crème fraîche with some seasoning. In a separate bowl, stir the chives into the soft cheese with some seasoning.
Arrange the smoked salmon, extra dill, blinis, crostini and cornichons (if using) on a platter. Serve with the pâtés, lemon crème fraîche, chive cheese and lemon wedges.