Beware of the kitty

  Before we get started, the picture yesterday was a genuine one of one of the furry locals with a snake I saw him battle and kill. The snake put up a much more spirited fight than a mouse or sparrow would, which, while exciting, was also a bit uncomfortable for a cosseted city dweller like myself, not used to the close-up spectacle of the ruthless side of nature. An extra tension was not knowing if the snake was poisonous, especially worrying as the beclawed one kept trying, not always successfully, to put the snakes head in it's mouth to bite it. Toe curling stuff!

  Moving back on to the nice safe subject of easy dips, how about a nice fish paté to accompany your scrummy oven baked tortilla? Actually, this is a great dish to make a load of as you can eat it in many ways, not just with tortilla. (Really? You're going to explain that like you just invented paté? -Ed.).

Greek ingenuity at it's finest.

  We're doing 'fish' paté because the technique can be applied to loads of fish. Once again, it's a chance to experiment as different ingredients work with different fish and there are probably some fish you prefer and will probably gravitate towards. As long as the fish is cooked, this works. All you need is a food processor and your fish of choice.

  You basically put your fish into the food processor with lemon or lime juice and some creamy things and seasoning then blend it. It's as easy as that. Creamy things you could use are yoghurt, mayo and cream cheese, but you might try with others too and you can definitely combine them. Here's one to get you started.

  The one I seem to make most often is smoked mackerel. One packet of that with a generous amount of lime juice and a good dollop of goat's yoghurt and mayo is all I need to make a dip or to have with a salad. As the fish is both oily and has a strong flavour it can take the astringency of the yoghurt and the tang of the lime. Throw in some capers and/or anchovies for an extra flavour kick.

Now I'm off to pet the cat, respectfully.

Kirk out

RevoltingFood.com