Easy Smoked Mackerel Pâté Food

EASY SMOKED MACKEREL PâTé

Steps:

• Tip the melted butter, lemon zest, mackerel and spring onion into a food processor and blend until smooth. Spoon into a ramekin and smooth the top.
• For the topping, melt the 15g butter with the horseradish, then stir in the parsley. Carefully spoon over the pâté to cover it. Press some parsley leaves on top, grind over some black pepper and chill to set the butter. Serve the ramekin of pâté with French bread, butter and extra horseradish sauce.

SMOKED MACKEREL PâTé WITH CUCUMBER

Steps:

• Peel and flake the mackerel and tip into a small blender with the cream cheese, lemon zest and half the lemon juice, and pulse to make a pâté. Add the chopped dill and pulse again to mix.
• Tip the mixture into a plastic piping bag or sandwich bag, cut off the end and pipe six thick cylinders of the pâté onto a baking tray and put in the freezer to harden for about 1 hr.
• Remove a strip of peel from the cucumber - it's easiest with a swivel peeler, but a normal one also works - then peel 12 neat ribbons off the cucumber. Do not throw away any of the seeds or the peelings. Dice any remaining flesh, cover and put in the fridge ready to use later. Use the neat ribbons to wrap around the pâté and put in the fridge. Can be made up to 1 day ahead.
• Tip the cucumber peelings and seeds into a blender or smoothie maker with the rest of the lemon juice, the olive oil and some seasoning. Blitz to make a thick dressing, then chill. Can be made 1 day ahead and kept in the fridge.
• To serve, pour a little dressing onto each plate, sit a cucumber-wrapped pâté on top, neatly scatter the diced cucumber and dill fronds, and drizzle over more olive oil.

SMOKED MACKEREL PATE

Steps:

• Skin the fillets, add the mackerel with the ricotta, sour cream, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, paprika and some salt and pepper, to the bowl of the food processor.
• Blend until completely smooth, stop sometimes to scrape down the sides.
• Taste to see if you want to add more lemon or salt and pepper.
• Mix in the chives.
• Transfer to a serving dish, chill for a few hours.
• When ready to serve, sprinkle with cayenne or paprika powder, chopped capers and serve with lemon wedges.

SMOKED MACKEREL PâTé PLATTER

Steps:

• In a bowl, roughly mash the mackerel and add the yogurt, lemon juice and some black pepper. Mash again until you have a chunky pâté. Put it in a bowl, ready to serve.
• Arrange the other ingredients on a large serving platter, with the mackerel pâté alongside, and tuck in.