Most countries in Scandinavia have extremely long coastlines and thus, seafood plays a prominent role in their cuisine. Historically, the long winters of Nordic countries meant that locals had to find ways to preserve food to eat through harsh winters. Seafood was salted, pickled (fermented), and/or smoked to make it available any time during winter months. This recipe for Smoked Trout Rillettes pays homage to the culinary heritage and flavors of Scandinavia, while loosely reinterpreting a classic French spread.The spread is served on crackers, again with a nod to the Swedish Smorgasbord, or open-faced sandwich platter. This dish is simple to make and offers layers of flavor. If you need to bring a dish to a holiday party, this is the one that your friends will rave about. Smoked trout is readily available in supermarkets, but if you cannot find it, smoked salmon works well. Make sure to get the smoked filets or nuggets as the firmness makes it easy to chop and evenly mix throughout the spread. Finally, we created our proprietary Nordic spice blend to showcase a lovely combination of typical dried herbs and spices used in Scandinavian cuisine like dill and caraway. Try making our Fish Cakes with Mustard Aioli recipe instead.