Little Green Book

Ready to eat, easy to keep, popular and versatile, smoked salmon is a firm favorite for festive larders. Scottish smoked salmon has a justified reputation for quality and taste thanks to companies such as Loch Fyne where traditional methods and an absolute commitment to excellence are all important.

Based in Argyll they use Freedom Food salmon from the Hebrides and the furthest North West coast. The salmon is hand filleted, dry cured and smoked over oak chips from retired whisky barrels. This year they have introduced a whisky-marinated smoked salmon with a rich smooth texture to please the palate. Gift-packaged, it makes the ideal present. The Loch Fyne smokehouse produces a range of smoked salmon from 100g to full sides to suit all tastes and cheer your festive gatherings.

Loch Fyne's RSPCA Freedom Food salmon is cured and then cold-smoked for 8-10 hours - make a platter with their smoked mussels, trout and own-made pate

Black Mountains Smokery smoke salmon, duck, trout, haddock and chicken over oak, available individually or in hampers

The smoked salmon from Hebridean Smokehouse is cured in Dead Sea salt then smoked over peat from Uist for heady depth of flavour

Dartmouth Smokehouse only use RSPCA Freedom Food salmon which are smoked over an oak/beech mixture for over 20 hours for a punchy flavour

Dunkeld offer wild cold-smoked and hot-smoked salmon as well as gravadlax and smoked sea trout available online

"Smoked fish should have a glossy sheen, firm flesh and a pleasant smoky aroma. Avoid fish that looks dull and smells unpleasant." Billingsgate Seafood Training School

Furness Fish, Poultry and Game Morecambe Bay traditional potted shrimps would make a wonderful starter to the Christmas Meal

Inverawe offer a huge range of smoked goodies, including halibut, eel and gravadlax as well as pates, cod's roe and salmon

Loch Duart 's RSPCA Freedom Food farm rears the salmon as close as possible to wild conditions for a sleek, healthy, firm-textured fish

Summer Isles will mail to your door any of their products including Achilitbuie kippers, smoked salmon, fish and cheese and smoked meats

Look out for Uig Lodge's oak-smoked salmon and hot-smoked sea trout available as packs or whole sides

Smoked salmon needn't just be served as it comes. Try Loch Fyne's recipe ideas for smoked salmon...

Bradan Rost Kiln-roasted Smoked Salmon with Whisky Sauce... Smoked Salmon Terrine... Pasta with Smoked Salmon and White Wine Sauce... Thai style Salmon Fishcakes...

Browse for more recipes for Christmas Starters...