Let's face it, the last thing you want to do during the Holiday season is spend hours slaving over a hot stove. This make ahead, no-cook canned pink salmon recipe will delight your family & friends and give you time to enjoy the party with your guests.

Ingredients - Serves 6 - 8

• 1 x 7oz/200G Can Pink Salmon
• ¼ pint/150ml sour cream
• grated rind & juice of ½ lemon
• 1 tabsp tomato puree
• 2 teasp anchovy essence
• 2 heaped tabs mayonnaise
• 1 egg separated
• ½oz/15g powdered gelatine
• 2 tabsp water
• ½ pint/300ml milk
• 1 small onion halved
• 2 parsley stalks
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 strip lemon rind
• 1oz/25g plain flour
• 1oz/25g butter
• salt & pepper

Method

First make the white sauce as follows:

Heat the milk in a saucepan with the parsley, onion, bay leaf and lemon rind. Leave to infuse for at least 10 minutes and strain.

Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour and then the flavoured milk.

Bring to the boil and simmer for 2 minutes.

Take off heat and leave to cool slightly.

(If you haven’t got anything to flavour the milk just use it plain).

Turn out the canned pink salmon with its juices into a bowl. Remove any bones and skin and mash well with a fork.

Beat in the white sauce, then the mayonnaise and sour cream.

Stir in the lemon rind and juice, tomato puree, anchovy essence and egg yolk. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Dissolve the gelatine in the water and stir into the mixture.

Beat the egg white until stiff and fold in.

Turn into a 1½ pint/900ml greased, ring, fish mould or souffle dish and chill in the fridge until set. (preferably overnight)

Alternatively pour into individual moulds and serve as a starter.

To serve - dip the mould briefly into hot water and turn out onto a serving plate

Garnish with whole prawns and cucumber.