Smoked Fish, Labneh, and Pickles: Rosie Birkett's Easy Twixtmas Dinner

The idea here is to make a big batch of pickles for everyone to dive into, to go with a platter of assorted smoked fish and baked potatoes topped with horseradish and dill labneh and a pop of salted fish roe, which adds a nice shine. I use lumpfish or trout roe to dress them with chopped chives, but if you're not a fan of fish roe, skip that. Smoked salmon is very expensive these days so I buy a single pack and mix it with smoked mackerel, haddock and a can of something delicious like smoked oysters, which are a treat for less than £3.

Smoked fish and pickle platter

You will need three sterilized 500ml jars for the pickles and you can swap any of the vegetables for others you have on hand - you need about 800g in total.

Prep 20 mins Cook 10 mins Infusion 6 hrs Serves 6-8

< p class="dcr-1b64dqh">200g smoked salmon 300g smoked mackerel (I use a combination of sweet smoked and peppery smoked)200g undyed smoked haddock, poached for a few minutes in 200ml milk with bay leaf and peppercorns, until opaque and flaky1 x marinated anchovies in a tray1 x 85g canned smoked oysters6 hard-boiled eggs, shelled and co halved

For the pickles1 bunch of radishes1 small red onion, peeled1 small bulb of fennel100g cucumber, peeled and sliced1 carrot, peeled and sliced350ml cider vinegar250ml water100 g caster sugar 1 tsp sea salt 1 tsp peppercorns (I like a mix of black, white, pink) 2 bay leaves Juice and zest of ½ a lemon, cut into strips ½ tsp fennel seeds A few sprigs of dill /p>

To make the pickles, clean and chop the vegetables: if you have one, use a mandolin and finely chop the onion, fennel and some of the radishes, keeping some of these cut in half and quarters also, for contrast. Divide the vegetables between the jars: I like to keep the onions and radishes together for a pink pickle; fennel is good in its jar, and carrot and cucumber go well together, with a few sprigs of dill.

In a saucepan, heat the vinegar, 250 ml of water and the remaining pickle ingredients, and stir until sugar dissolves. Bring to a gentle boil, simmer for a few minutes then remove from the heat. Leave to cool for a few minutes, then pour over the vegetables in their jars. Make sure everything is completely submerged - I sometimes put a thick slice of lemon on top as a stopper, if need be. Close the jars and let steep for at least six hours, or overnight, then divide into small dishes to serve with the smoked fish.

Arrange the fish and eggs on a board with a small bowl of pickles, baked potatoes, labneh and some crackers or bread.

Horseradish labneh with crunchy capers

Prepare 10 minDrain overnight Makes 4-8

1 jar 200g sour cream350g full-fat plain yogurtSalt1 tbsp finely chopped dill leaves3 heaped tsp sauce or horseradish cream 3 tablespoons capers, drained and dried on paper towels 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

In a bowl, combine sour cream, yogurt and a pinch of salt. Place a sieve over a bowl and cover it with cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel. Pour the yogurt mixture into the lined sieve, then wrap the cloth around it and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, unwrap the strained yogurt, pour it into a bowl, then toss in the dill and horseradish.

Place the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat and once hot, sauté the capers until until they are crispy and flowery. Remove them, drain them on a cloth and let them cool.

Place the labneh on a serving platter and use the back of a spoon to make a well between. Drizzle with olive oil and garnish with capers.

Baked potatoes, butter and salmon caviar

Preparation 5 minCooking 1 hour 30+For 8 people

8 small to medium sized cooking potatoes, cleaned and eyes removedCanola oilSea salt and black...