Smoked Mackerel Pâté

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A delicious smooth and easy-to-make pâté bursting with flavour; the ingredients are kept deliberately simple so the flavours from the few ingredients can shine. Horseradish, lemon and crème fraîche are added to provide balance but the smoked mackerel is the real star of the show.

Serve with crusty bread, bagels, hot toast, crackers or some hot, fresh Yorkshire Puddings.

Serve with crusty bread, seeded bagels, hot toast, crackers or, as I served it yesterday, with some hot, fresh Yorkshire Puddings. Jamie Oliver serves his Creamy Smoked Trout and Horseradish Pâté with Yorkshires and this idea, I can guarantee, is utterly inspired! I would never have thought about this combination, but it is heavenly. However, this wonderful pâté also works exceptionally well on hot toast, crusty fresh bread, bagels or crackers too – take your pick – and is a wonderful addition to a grazing platter. Seen below on my Seafood Grazing Platter.

How to make Smoked Mackerel Pâté

Collect all your ingredients together:

For the pâté –

• smoked mackerel fillets
• crème fraîche or cream cheese
• unsalted butter
• creamed horseradish
• lemon juice
• fine salt, or to taste
• freshly ground black pepper
• fresh dill, thick stems removed

Serving ideas –

• lemon wedges
• avocado slices
• tomato halves/quarters
• cucumber slices
• green leaves
• fresh brown bread, hot toast, crackers, bagels or Yorkshire Puddings

Now whip it up in 5 minutes:

1. Melt the butter, either in a small saucepan or the microwave, and set aside to cool whilst you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
2. Carefully remove the skins from the mackerel and discard. Roughly chop the flesh.
3. Make the pâté – put the following ingredients into the food processor:
   • smoked mackerel
   • crème fraîche
   • melted butter
   • horseradish
   • lemon juice
   • salt
   • freshly ground black pepper
   • most of the fresh dill – hold a little back for garnish
4. Process until the pâté mix is smooth.
5. Taste and adjust seasoning – you may need to add more salt and/or pepper or perhaps extra horseradish and/or lemon juice.
6. Transfer to your serving dish, garnish with some dill and serve with your choice of accompaniments.

To serve:

Starter, light lunch, breakfast or picnic? This pâté is wonderful for all these options!

Serve, either in a dish for everyone to help themselves, or transfer to ramekin dishes and serve individually. This pâté is perfect for a picnic and travels well in a lidded container – a jam jar works wonderfully.

This pâté also make a fabulous breakfast on hot buttered toast or bagel. I also like to add a boiled/poached or fried egg. Quick, delicious, nutritious and very satisfying.

Serve at Room Temperature:

I like to serve this pâté at room temperature. The texture will harden when refrigerated, so remember to take it out of the fridge to warm slightly before serving.

Smooth or chunky?

If you prefer a chunky pâté, do not add all the mackerel to the food processor. Simply hold some back, break it up to your preferred size, and stir it through the pâté when you remove it from the processor.

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Lyngen Lodge

Last April, we were lucky enough to be included in Chris Mathias’ 60th birthday celebration at Lyngen Lodge in Norway. Every breakfast and afternoon tea included incredible grazing boards. This is a fabulous recipe which I love to include on Grazing Boards and have therefore included it in my collection of recipes to celebrate the wonderful food we enjoyed there.

Made this recipe?

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