Simple Smoked Mackerel Pate

This Smoked Mackerel Pate is an absolute doddle to make and is great as a starter or as just a snack with a good dry english cider or a chilled white wine… There seems to be a pattern emerging that my recipes are all coupled with things to drink.. Im supposed to be doing a dry January too!

Ingredients

400 grams of Smoked Mackerel
50 grams of butter
2 tsp of Horseraddish Sauce
2 tbs Creme Freche
Juice of 1 lemon
Cracked Black Pepper

Now try to keep up everyone this is gastronomy at its most complex….

Peal the skin off your Mackerel and break up with your fingers checking there are no larger bones and place in your food processor. Add the horseraddish, juice of the lemon, creme freche and cracked black pepper. Wizz up until the mackerel has comlpetely broken down.

In a pan melt your butter. Once it is all melted re start your food processor and slowly incorporate 3/4 of the butter.

Taste the pate and if you think its not sharp enough add more lemon, or more cracked pepper or even more horseraddish if you want a little more bite.

Pop in to your individual ramekins and smooth off leaving about 1/2 cm gap. Put in the fridge for 10 mins and then when cooled a little pour a little melted butter over the top to seal in the pate. Put back in the fridge then bring out out 20 mins before you want to serve.

Serve with some buttered sourdough cornichons and some silverskin onions. You might want to dress a simple rocket and lambs lettuce salad with a little olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper.

Enjoy!