Smoked mackerel pate is often thought of more as a summer dish perfect for picnics and the like, but to me it is the perfect comfort food to spread thickly on toast and have while sitting curled up by the fire on a chilly autumnal night.
I also enjoy this smoked mackerel pate as a simple lunch dish with a few salad leaves, some thinly sliced cucumber and a good squeeze of lemon juice. It makes me think of summer sunshine no mater what the weather is doing outside the kitchen window.
To keep this light and as healthy as possible I use a mixture of creme fraiche and cottage cheese instead of the usual cream cheese to give a velvety smooth body to this recipe.
It really is just a case of gathering up all your ingredients listed bellow and just whazzing them up in your food processor then chilling in the fridge for at least half an hour to let those gorgeous flavours mingle together and develop into something so tasty you will be hard pressed to stop when you start sampling it.
This smoked mackerel pate would be perfect for parties too, so remember it when Christmas comes along (oh shit, that’s it the C word has been mentioned!) and you have friends and family coming round.
Karon x
Smoked Mackerel Pate
Ingredients
- 1/2 tsp caraway seeds
- 100 g/3 1/2 oz smoked mackerel fillets skinned
- 40 g/1 1/2 oz creme fraiche
- 40 g/1 1/2 oz cottage cheese
- 1 tsp prepared horseradish or horseradish sauce
- 1 tsp chopped fresh chives
- 1 tsp chopped fresh dill
- zest & juice of half a lemon
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Toast the caraway seeds in a dry pan for 1-2 minutes until they become aromatic, allow to cool
- Put all ingredients into a food processor and whazz till you have the consistancy you prefer.
- If using as a dip go for a completely smooth mix and add a little yogurt or extra creme fraiche to loosen.
That looks and sounds delicious, I love your photos Karon, they are just so ‘right’ if you know what I mean 🙂
Thanks so much Sue, really appreciate that.
K x