Smoked  Trout Crostini with Pear Butter

This versatile appetizer is right at home for holiday parties or served as part of a New Year’s Day brunch.

8 oz. package smoked trout (or hot smoked salmon)
8 oz. reduced fat cream cheese
2 heaping Tbs. mayonnaise
juice of ½ a medium lemon
¼ tsp. salt and freshly ground black pepper
baguette, thinly sliced and toasted (or melba toast crackers)
Tait Farm Pear Butter

Remove the skin from the trout. By hand or in a food processor beat together the cream cheese, mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, and a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper. Crumble the trout into the mixture, checking for small bones as you go. Beat the mixture until the trout is broken down and well combined with the mixture. Spread a thin layer of the trout pate on the toast. Top with a dollop of the Tait Farm Pear Butter. If you’re feeling elegant, spoon the Pear Butter into a piping bag with a star tip and pipe a pear butter ‘rosette’ on each crostini. Makes about 2 C. of pate (enough for about 25 crostini)