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1
Smoke salmon fillets using alder, cherry or maple wood chips over medium heat with your stove top smoker (see related recipe).
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2
Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium skillet over medium-low heat.
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3
Stir in the leeks, season them lightly with salt & pepper, cover the skillet, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
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4
Check the leeks from time to time, stir and lower the heat if any of the leeks start to brown.
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5
Scrape the leeks into a bowl and cool to room temperature.
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6
While the leeks are cooling, lightly oil a 4-cup souffle dish or loaf pan.
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7
Flake the smoked salmon, checking for and discarding bones, skin, and the grayish fatty layer next to the skin as you go.
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8
Add the flaked fish to the leeks in the bowl.
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9
Toss the leeks and salmon together with the dill and lemon juice.
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10
Scrape the salmon mixture into the bowl of a food processor.
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11
Cut the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter into small pieces and add to the salmon mixture.
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12
Process, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times, until the salmon mixture is smooth with flecks of leek and dill running through it.
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13
Taste and add salt & pepper if necessary.
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14
Scrape the mixture into a prepared dish.
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15
Tamp it lightly to make sure there are no air pockets, then smooth the top into an even layer.
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16
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or up to 2 days.
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17
Bring to room temperature one hour before serving.
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18
If you like, unmold the pate onto a serving plate by immersing the pate dish up to its edge in a large bowl of hot water for about 3 minutes.
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19
The time it takes to loosen the pate from its mold depends on the material the mold is made of and the temperature of the water.
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20
Run a thin-bladed knife along the inside edges of the container to free the sides.
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21
Invert the pate on to the plate.
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22
If it doesn't slip out in a few seconds, re-immerse the container and try again.
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23
Serve immediately.
