Smoked Trout Spread with Pumpernickel bread and Daikon / Radish

First one of the appetizers I made for my father's birthday and it was off to a pretty good start. I apologise before hand that the pictures of these are not going to be the greatest, since I was kind of surrounded by a ravenous family, so couldn't really take the food away for a photo shoot. :P
This is fairly healthy as party appetizers go and will probably be tasty to anyone with a love of a good schmear. I used a combination of soft goat cheese and sour cream as the base for this spread, since basically I forgot to buy cream cheese, but the choice is completely up to you. I think both ways would work equally well. For me the best way to eat this was first the pumpernickel, then a slice of the daikon (a big white winter radish) and then the spread, but if you're not a fan of pumpernickel or want it even healthier, you can use just a slice of daikon. Kids probably would like this on some crackers though. The recipe for this comes from one of my favourite newly discovered food blogs foodwishes, link below.

Appetizer/Snack - 1 big bowl (about 14oz/350g) - 1000cal - 15min

(58g fat; 89g carbs and 77g protein)

Ingredients

 - Smoked Trout: Preferably boneless and skinless (7oz/200g)
- Soft/Fresh Goat Cheese (100g/3.5oz) and Sour Cream (100g/3.5oz) OR Cream Cheese (200g/7oz), room temperature
- Capers (2tsp)
- Horseradish (1tsp)
- Lemon (1/2)
- Pumpernickel / Rye Bread (150g/4oz): very thinly sliced preferably.
- Daikon (about half a big one): A big white winter radish root. Can be substituted by black radish root (would recommend blanching) or other radish kinds.
- Dill: fresh plant (2tbsp chopped)
- Chives: fresh plant (2tbsp chopped)
- Pepper

(- Optional: Trout (or your favorite fish) Eggs)

Instructions

- Break up the trout files into little pieces gently with your fingers into a bowl. Meanwhile check for stray bones.

- Add in your goat cheese and sour cream (or cream cheese)

- Chop up 2tsp of capers, drained, very finely and add them in.

- Chop up your dill and chives and add them as well (I did about half a plant of both, but be careful with the dill, some don't like it as much as I do, so you might want to do about half then).

- Add in the juice of about half a lemon or to taste.

- Add in 1 small tsp of horseradish, be careful with this as well, it can overpower! So if you're not sure whether or not your horseradish is very strong just add in half, a spoon, mix well and have a taste before you add more. (I used store-bought prepared horseradish, which is grated fresh horseradish with some vinegar and salt to preserve, but if you have fresh or homemade, of course use that!).  

- Mix everything very well until smooth!

- Add Pepper to taste, and if necessary a bit of salt, but since your trout and cheese is salty, this is probably not needed.

- If made ahead (and I would recommend this for better flavor mixing, a few hours if you can) cover bowl with a lid or plastic foil and store in the refrigerator until serving.

- Before serving peel half your daikon (or more if you're not gonna schmear generously) and slice it into even slices. If you have something to get nice and even slices in the kitchen, this would be a good opportunity to use it.

- Cut your pumpernickel slices in squares roughly as big as your daikon slices.

- Optional: Top of bowl with a generous portion of trout (or other fish) eggs, tastes great with this as well, trust me I tried with the leftovers.

- Enjoy this family and party friendly treat!

- Also great just on toast or bread as a fancier bread spread (or for if you have leftovers). Keeps in the fridge for at least 3 days, do cover it. Also perfect to make everyone at work jealous as you enjoy these adult luncheables (stacking pumpernickel, daikon and schmear). :)

Source: http://foodwishes.blogspot.be/2015/09/smoked-trout-schmear-because-theres-no.html