Smoked Trout Pâté Recipe

This pâté is delicious on crackers or thinly sliced grilled toasts. If you prefer a smoked trout salad, keep the fish pieces larger and, rather than mixing the fish to break it up, gently fold it into just enough sauce to coat it.

1/2 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
1 tablespoon drained and rinsed capers
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
1 tablespoon finely chopped tarragon
1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
Pinch cayenne pepper
Juice of 1 medium lime
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
10 ounces smoked trout meat
Crackers or thinly sliced toasts, for serving

In a medium, nonreactive bowl, combine the crème fraîche or sour cream, capers, chives, tarragon, paprika, cayenne, and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper.
Using your hands, break the trout into bite-sized pieces, discarding any bones and skin. Add the fish to the crème fraîche mixture. Stir rapidly with a spoon, using the spoon to break up the fish, until the mixture is a spreadable consistency. Season with salt and pepper as desired. Serve on crackers or thinly sliced toasts. Makes 2 cups. –Jill Santopietro for CHOW.com.

Devils on Horseback

Wrap anything in bacon (save for rubber), toast it in the oven, and it’s bound to be eaten. This British pub snack of salty, crunchy bacon and boozy, sweet prunes is a major crowd-pleaser, and simple to prepare. The dried plums can be steeped in port and wrapped in bacon ahead of time. When guests arrive, just pop the prunes in the oven. And you can experiment with these, too: Stuff the prunes with blue cheese or toasted walnuts before wrapping.

30 pitted prunes (about 8 ounces)
1 cup tawny port
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
10 thin slices smoky bacon, cut crosswise into thirds
30 toothpicks, soaked in water for at least 15 minutes

1. Heat the oven to 500°F and arrange a rack in the middle.
2. Combine the prunes, port, and sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the port thickens into a loose syrup, about 15 minutes. Let cool slightly, for about 10 minutes, then drain the prunes of excess syrup or reserve syrup for other uses (for example, serve with seared meats or drizzle into a glass of seltzer or Champagne).
3. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, then set a cooling rack over the foil.
4. Wrap a piece of bacon around each prune and secure with a toothpick. Place the prunes at least 1 inch apart on the cooling rack. Bake for 7 minutes, then flip the prunes with tongs and continue to bake until crispy, about 7 to 9 minutes more. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Cool slightly before serving. Makes 30 pieces. –JILL SANTOPIETRO for CHOW.com.