Celebrate A Relaxed Christmas With Fresh Seafood

Celebrate a relaxed Christmas with fresh seafood, a succulent ham and crisp salads thanks to a selection of recipes created by james brownrigg, executive chef of the boathouse group

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SMOKED SALMON WITH LEMON CRÈME FRAÎCHE & PICKLED CUCUMBER

Serves 6

Whole fillet hot-smoked salmon

Lemon crème fraîche

200g crème fraîche

1 lemon, zest and juice

1 tsp black peppercorns

Pickled cucumber

400ml rice wine vinegar

100g caster sugar

150g salt

500g cucumber

1 lemon, sliced

1. To make the pickle, add vinegar, sugar, salt and 400ml of water to a saucepan. Heat until sugar and salt dissolved. Leave to cool.

2. Meanwhile, peel and shave cucumber lengthways. This is best done with a mandolin, but you can also use a peeler, as long as the peelings are very thin. Cut the lemon into thin slices.

3. Add the shaved cucumber and lemon slices to the pickling liquor and leave overnight in the fridge to pickle.

4. The next day, combine crème fraîche with lemon zest and juice in a small bowl. Grind peppercorns in a mortar and pestle and sprinkle on top of the crème fraîche.

5. Serve the hot-smoked salmon cold on a large platter with a big dollop of lemon crème fraîche and pickled cucumber on top.

LEAF SALAD WITH CHAMPAGNE DRESSING

Serves 6

300g mixed salad leaves (we used baby cos and green elk)

Edible flowers (we used elderflower and violas)