Smoked Mackerel Pâté with Rye Crackers

• 400 gsmoked mackerel fillets, skin removed
• 150 glight cream cheese
• 2 tbsphorseradish sauce
• 1lemon, zested and juiced
• 10 gfresh dill, chopped
• 1spring onion, finely sliced
• black pepper
• Fine salt
• 160 grye crackers, to serve
• 300 gcucumber slices, capers, and lemon wedges (optional)
• 160 gpickled beetroot (optional)
• 200 gmixed leaves, dressed with 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp lemon juice (optional)

Method

1. 1Run your fingers over the mackerel fillets to find any stray pin bones, then pull them out with tweezers or your fingertips. Flake the flesh into rough, generous chunks; no smaller than a thumbnail. You want shards, not paste.
2. 2In a bowl, beat the cream cheese with the horseradish, lemon zest, and half the lemon juice for about 30 seconds until smooth and loose enough to fold. Cold cream cheese tears the fish; work it until it drops easily off the spoon.
3. 3Tip in the flaked mackerel and fold gently with a spatula, four or five turns, no more. Keep it chunky and rugged; overworking turns it into fish-flavoured spackle.
4. 4Scatter in the dill and spring onion. Fold once more, then taste. Add a good crack of black pepper and a pinch of salt; smoked mackerel carries plenty of salt of its own, so go in light and build up. Add more lemon juice until it's bright and punchy on the tongue. Taste again.
5. 5Spoon into a serving bowl or four ramekins, dragging the back of the spoon across the top in lazy swirls. Press cling film directly onto the surface and chill for at least 30 minutes; the pâté firms up and the dill and horseradish settle into the fish.
6. 6Serve the chilled pâté with the rye crackers. Add the optional cucumber, capers, lemon wedges, pickled beetroot and dressed mixed leaves if using.

Per serving

kcal

453

protein

24g

fibre

1g

carbs

5.6g

fat

37.6g