Simple Smoked Mackerel Pate

Smoked Mackerel Pate is very easy to make and healthy too. It's a delicious creamy pate full of incredible flavour. Making it at home means you can flavour it to your liking.

I use creme fraiche in this recipe, but you can use thick natural yoghurt or even cream cheese. It makes the pate easier to spread and adds a lovely creaminess. If you are using low fat varieties, be aware that they are not as thick so use less or your pate may be a bit too runny. Serve it on warm toast, or crusty bread or crackers. For a more filling lunch, serve on top of a jacket potato. It also makes a great snack and is perfect for after school.

More Lunch Ideas

If you're looking for more lunch inspiration, you might like these

• Quiche - a no cream version
• Crustless quiche (a quicker version)
• A Vegetable Soup
• Welsh or Cornish Rarebit with Egg and Cheese
• Flatbread - just 3 ingredients
• Smoked Salmon Carbonara
• Kids Packed Lunch Ideas

Smoked Mackerel Fillets

The Smoked Mackerel Fillets you buy in the shops are already cooked. Traditionally, mackerel is smoked over oak fires. Smoking is one of the oldest ways of preserving foods. You can buy the fillets simply smoked or with added flavour such as peppered smoked mackerel, hot smoked, or even honey and soy flavoured. Smoked mackerel is also relatively cheap.

Is Smoked Mackerel good for you?

NHS guidelines say we should eat oily fish at least once a week. Smoked Mackerel is an oily fish. It's a great source of omega-3 which is a 'good' fat. Omega-3's help keep the heart healthy and aid brain function and development. Smoked mackerel is also cheaper than salmon, another oily fish. This smoked mackerel pate recipe is a great way to incorporate more oily fish and omega-3 into your diet.

What does Smoked Mackerel taste like?

Like other oily fish, smoked mackerel has quite a strong flavour. It is similar to tuna or salmon and has a slightly sweet taste and a firm chewy texture.

How to make Smoked Mackerel Pate

It really is very simple. Take the skin off the smoked mackerel. There shouldn't be any bones, but you can check by lightly running you finger over the top of the fillet to feel for any. Add the fish together with the lemon juice, horseradish sauce and creme fraiche to a food processor and blitz together. If you don't have a food processor, you can mix it with a fork. Check the flavours and add more horseradish or lemon according to your own preference. Season with a little black pepper. Thats's it.

Sustainability

In order to protect fish stocks, it's important we choose fish from sustainable sources. This means eating fish that are not in danger of being over-fished. The Marine Conservation Society Good Fish Guide recommends handline-caught mackerel from the southwest of England because of its ring-fenced quota and low impact methods. Look for the MCS logo on fish you buy or ask your fishmonger.

Storing Smoked Mackerel

Because they have been smoked, mackerel fillets usually have a shelf life of several weeks when you store them in the fridge. You can also freeze the smoked mackerel fillets for up to 3 months. It may say on the packet that you can't freeze them. This is because it is a particularly oily fish and the taste after it has been frozen may change slightly. It will however still be safe to eat. If you do freeze it, try to use it up as soon as possible. You should store Smoked mackerel pate in an airtight container in the fridge. It will keep for 3 days. You can freeze smoked mackerel pate although the texture might change slightly when it is defrosted.

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