Carnival favourites: celebrate spring racing season

These snacks are delicious as a starter or canapé — give them a whirl for spring entertaining, and serve with something fizzy.

Anchovy aioli and radish on rye. Picture: Guy Bailey

My favourite part of a restaurant menu is always the one with the snacks. There’s usually some sort of dip on there, perhaps with an addictive funk of smoked or pickled fish through a creamy base, cut through with the freshness of cucumber or radish. It’s the sort of thing that’s delicious as a starter or canapé – and it’s easy to whip up at home, right when you need it. Give these recipes a whirl for spring entertaining, and serve with something fizzy.

Smoked trout tarama. Picture: Guy Bailey

Smoked trout tarama

½ French shallot, roughly chopped

250g cream cheese, chopped

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

100g hot-smoked trout or salmon, flaked

1 tablespoon nigella seeds

200g baby cucumbers, chopped into 2cm pieces

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Dill sprigs, thinly sliced shallot, salmon caviar (optional) and thinly sliced toasted bagel, to serve

Combine the onion, cream cheese and lemon juice in a blender or small food processor and whiz until smooth. Add fish flakes and pulse to combine. Spoon onto a serving plate, running the spoon through the top to create a cheffy looking flourish; chill until required.

Toast nigella seeds in a small dry pan over medium heat until popping and fragrant, transfer to a bowl and toss with cucumber, lemon zest and ½ teaspoon salt flakes. Stand for 5 minutes to soften and pickle slightly.

To serve, drizzle tarama with the extra-virgin olive oil then scatter with cucumbers, dill sprigs and some thinly sliced shallot. Spoon over caviar (if using) and serve with toasted bagel slices – or baguette or lavosh, if you prefer. Makes 1½ cups and serves 4-6

Anchovy aioli & radish on rye

2 egg yolks

2 cloves garlic, grated

1 heaped teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 cup grapeseed oil

1 good quality tin of anchovies

Juice of 1 lemon

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

To serve

6 slices fresh rye bread

1 bunch radishes, washed, finely sliced and chilled

For this you’ll need a food processor, blender, or a stick blender and a tall jug. Put the egg yolks, garlic, mustard and vinegar in the vessel and start blitzing. Pour the oil in down the side of the jug, to slow its flow, whilst constantly blending. When you see a colour change and the mixture start to emulsify and thicken, start pouring the oil directly into the mixture in a slow, steady stream. Once it becomes nice and thick, add in the tinned anchovies and the oil in the tin. Add the lemon juice and pepper; blitz again until super smooth. Check for seasoning. Smother rye slices with anchovy aioli and layer slices of radish over the top to resemble fish scales; trim off crusts for a smart look and cut into fingers. Makes 12 fingers

Top tips

Use a whole smoked river trout or hot-smoked trout fillets

You can make the aioli quicker by blitzing the anchovies through a whole-egg mayo – just be sure to taste and correct for seasoning, and add plenty of lemon juice to finish

The aoili is a flavour-bomb sauce that can be served with boiled potatoes, beans or cold vegetable crudités. It’ll keep in a clean jar in the fridge for a few days