If you need to bring something to a cocktail party, this is an easy and delicious make ahead hors d’oeuvre. Sometimes I just make it to keep around for a snack.

INGREDIENTS:

Day Before:
1/2 cup sour cream
4 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
4 scallions cut in half lengthwise and then thinly sliced crosswise
Pinch salt mix
Freshly ground black pepper

Day Of:
2 fillets (8 ounces) smoked trout (Ducktrap River of Maine), skin removed and fish flaked into a medium bowl
2 tablespoons or thereabouts chopped chives and chive flowers for the garnish
1 tablespoon or thereabouts chopped basil
1 tablespoon or thereabouts chopped dill
1 tablespoon lemon juice

In a small bowl with a fork, blend the cream cheese with the sour cream or alternately, blend in a small food processor and then turn into a small bowl. Stir in the scallions, salt and pepper and set aside until the next step is done or can be made a day ahead at this point and kept in the fridge.

In a medium bowl, add the flaked fish and as you go along, remove any small pin bones as you see them. Trout has very small bones, so don’t worry about getting them all out. You will see the larger ones and those are the ones you want to remove. This step may also be done ahead. When ready to put everything together, add about 1/2 – 3/4 of the sour cream mixture, the chives, basil, dill, or any combination of your favorite herbs, and lemon juice. If it needs more of the sour cream mixture, add it in, but I find about 3/4 to be enough (the rest is the cooks treat to nibble on).

Taste for seasoning. Turn into your serving dish and sprinkle with chives and garnish with a couple flowers. Serve with sliced toasted baguette slices or your favorite crackers.