I discovered Delia Smith when I used her recipe for Greek-style squid recipe that I found online. I had no idea who she was at that time, but when I looked on Amazon, I discovered she’d written many many cookbooks. One was Delia’s Happy Christmas, published in 2009.

I’m a sucker for Christmas cookbooks, although Nigella Christmas remains my favorite. Oddly enough, after buying Happy Christmas, the recipe I chose to make from it is maybe the least “Christmassy” of them all, but when I saw the name of the recipe I knew I had to make it!

My first experience with Arbroath smokies was when I made Cullen Skink, which utilizes smoked haddock. That’s when I discovered haddock caught and smoked in the Scottish town of Arbroath – thus the name Arbroath smokies! Here is my source for the smokies.

My second time using the smokies was making the omelette Arnold Bennett – an incredible brunch dish created at the Savoy Grill. So I knew Ms. Smith’s recipe using the smokies would be fabulous, with flavors far beyond smoked salmon or trout.

The opening line in Delia’s Happy Christmas is….. “Christmas is a thoroughly good thing.” And I agree wholeheartedly! Doesn’t that sound so British?!!

About this recipe, she writes: “This is unashamedly retro. In the 60’s it was very popular – only then made with smoked haddock (which is still equally good). It’s cool, light, and still evokes memories of that era.”

Arbroath Smokie Mousse

1 pair Arbroath smokies
2 eggs
7g or 0.2 ounces leaf gelatine (4 sheets measuring about 11 x 7.5cm each)
10g or 0.7 tablespoons butter
200ml or 6.7 ounces milk
10g or 0.4 tablespoons flour
Salt and pepper
125g or 14.5 ounces mayonnaise
A good pinch of cayenne
3 tablespoons fine capers
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
50ml or 1.7 ounces double cream, lightly whipped

For serving:
Watercress
Capers
Cayenne pepper

Six ramekins with a base measurements of 7.5cm, lightly oiled. Begin with the eggs by placing them in cold water, bringing them up to a fast boil, then timing them for 7 minutes. Then cool them under a cold running tap and peel off the shells.

Now remove the skin and bones from the smokies and flake the flesh into small pieces and chop the eggs similarly.

Next soak the gelatine leaves in a bowl in cold water.

In a medium saucepan, place the butter, milk, and flour. Whisk these continuously together over a medium heat so the mixture will gradually thicken as it comes to a simmer. Then leave it on the barest simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring often.

Remove the saucepan from the heat, squeeze the excess water from the gelatine, then whisk the gelatine into the hot sauce to dissolve it – which will happen quite quickly. Now transfer the sauce to a bowl, let it cool for about 10 minutes before stirring in the mayonnaise and cayenne. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Next stir in the smokie pieces, eggs, capers and parsley, then finally fold in the whipped cream. Divide the mixture equally between the ramekins, covering with cling film and chill for several hours. (I used two ramekins and a larger dish for entertaining.”

When you want to serve them, remove from the fridge 30 minutes before, then slide a small palette knife around the edge of each one and turn out onto serving plates. Give each one a dusting of cayenne and a sprinkling of capers on top. Garnish with watercress.

I can see this as a first course for a summer meal just as much as something served during the holidays.

This mousse is fabulous, thanks to the Arbroath smokies of course. But I also love the egg component, and I’d never have guessed that there was gelatin in the mousse. It’s light and smooth.