Pink Dips for a Baby Shower

Yesterday I went to a baby shower. The mum-to-be is due very soon, so all the guests helped out by bringing a plate to share. The theme was pink, so I made a magenta-pink beetroot hommus, and a pale pink salmon pate.

Smoked Salmon Pate

This was adapted from a recipe in Jamie Oliver's 30 minute meals, but with hot smoked salmon instead of smoked mackerel.

250g hot smoked salmon fillets*
1 packet of light cream cheese
Juice and zest of ½ lemon
1 handful of parsley (or another soft herb such as dill or basil)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp of horserdish
salt and pepper to taste

Remove the skin and any bones from the fish. Place all the ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust with extra salt, pepper, lemon or horseradish.


*Hot-smoked salmon is available in the deli section or from fishmongers. It's been cooked, so it's safer to eat in pregnancy than cold-smoked salmon. You can even make it yourself at home on the bbq (here's a recipe for Tea-Smoked Salmon).

Beetroot Hommus

100g roasted and peeled beetroot (or tinned beetroot)
2 cups cooked chickpeas (1 cup of dried chickpeas or 1 can of chickpeas)
Juice and zest of ½ lemon
2 tbsp olive oil
1 handful of mint leaves
1 tbsp tahini (I prefer unhulled tahini)
1 tsp honey (omit if using tinned beetroot)
½ tsp salt (omit if using tinned chickpeas)

Place all the ingredients into the food processor and blend until smooth. You can add some greek yoghurt for a creamier version. Taste and add extra salt or lemon if needed. You can use tinned chickpeas and beetroot if you're in a hurry, but it's worth cooking everything fresh.