Salmon rillettes with tomato and chilli chutney and dill pickled cucumber. Serves 4.

Salmon is a favourite for many and this tasty starter from Mark Dixon, head chef at the Imperial Hotel in Great Yarmouth, is quick and easy and looks fantastic too!

INGREDIENTS

• 50g butter
• 125g poached, flaked salmon
• ½ finely diced white onion
• 75g chopped smoked salmon
• 125g cream cheese
• 1 lemon juiced
• 2 tablespoon chopped chives and tarragon
• Salt and pepper

METHOD

1. Melt the butter in a pan. Add the onions and cook on low for five minutes. Do not let the onions start to cool.

2. Once soft, place in a food blender with cream cheese, lemon, herbs and a little salt and pepper.

3. Whizz for 30 seconds or so, then add the smoked salmon and poached flakes.

4. Whizz again for just a few seconds - not too long as you want to retain the flakes and you don't want a purée.

5. Put the mix into moulds and leave to set for at least one hour.

Tomato and chilli chutney

INGREDIENTS

• 1 diced onion
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 600g fresh chopped tomatoes
• 3 red chillies chopped and de-seeded
• 1 cup malt vinegar
• 175g caster sugar
• 2 tablespoons wholegrain mustard

METHOD

Place all the ingredients in a saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer for three hours on a low heat, stirring every 30 minutes or so.

Dill pickled cucumber

INGREDIENTS

• ½ cucumber
• Handful of freshly chopped dill
• 2 tablespoon caster sugar
• 3 tablespoon cider vinegar

METHOD

Peel the cucumber so you have long strips. Discard the middle of the cucumber. Stir together the sugar, dill and vinegar and leave to pickle for two hours.

Garnish the rillettes with toasted focaccia or warm toasted bread and enjoy

Wine Choice

Nick Mobbs, director and wine expert at the Imperial Hotel, suggests a 2009 Riesling Paul Cluver Elgin Valley South Africa to accompany the salmon.

Paul Cluver is a family-owned and run wine business which is located in the cool Elgin Valley, about 70km south-east of Cape Town. The vineyard has been in ownership of the Cluver Family since 1896.

Recognised as pioneers of wine in the area, the focus is on producing elegant wines that are expressive of the soil and climate of the region.

I think that smoked salmon requires a grape that gives acidity to the wine with good flavours. Classically one would choose a Riesling from Alsace but the grape is a good traveller and in the right climatic conditions can produce stunning wines.

The Riesling from Paul Cluver is a vibrant wine with the classic Riesling flavours of spices and florals - especially lime and white blossoms. The palate is lean, elegant and refined with a lingering after taste due to the good acidity of the wine.

This wine can be enjoyed young or cellared for a further five to seven years if you have the patience.

The combination of the smoked salmon and the richness of the cream work well with the acidity and fruit in the wine. This wine is not overpowering but still has the ability to cleanse and refresh.