Potted smoked salmon

Method

• step 1

  Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Line up the fresh salmon fillets on a big sheet of foil, and dot 50g of the butter over the top. Slice half a lemon and poke the slices in among the fish, then season everything with a little salt. Scrunch up the sides of the foil to seal in a parcel, sit on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the fish untouched for another 20 minutes, until just cooked through and flaking.

• step 2

  Carefully undo the foil and pour all the juices and melted butter into a big mixing bowl. Remove the lemon slices. Add the cooked salmon, along with the soured cream, and the juice and zest from the remaining lemon half. Mix using a fork to break up the fish until it is fine in texture. Mix in the smoked salmon, and season with more salt and white pepper to taste.

• step 3

  Divide the mixture between individual jars, or a couple of bigger kilner jars, and smooth down the surface. Gently melt the remaining butter in a pan with the pink peppercorns. Let the butter settle for a minute so the whiter solids sink to the bottom. Finely slice the remaining lemon and sit a slice on the top of each jar, then spoon the yellow melted butter and peppercorns over the top to cover each completely (you might need more butter depending on your jars).
  Cool, then chill for at least 2 hours until set.
To serve, spread straight from the jars onto
hot toast, with a handful of leaves on the side.