Smoked Mackerel Pate with Pickled Cucumber

This is a great starter in the summer months as its refreshing and very light. It’s a top seller for lunch in the restaurants and a real hit. The pickled cucumber is the perfect accompaniment to the mackerel, cutting through the richness and refreshing the dish.

---

Dish Difficulty: Easy

Serves: 4

---

Ingredients

For the pâté:

4 smoked mackerel fillets

100g cream cheese

1⁄2 bunch chives, chopped

1tbsp dill, chopped

1 lemon, zest and juice

1 lime, zest and juice

2 tbsp crème fraîche

100ml cream, lightly whipped

For the pickled cucumber:

500 ml white wine vinegar

500g caster sugar

2 tbsp mustard seeds

4 x star anise

1 x cucumber, sliced thinly lengthways, ideally using a mandoline or vegetable peeler

Salt and pepper

---

Preparation

For the pâté:

1. Remove the skin and any pin bones from the smoked mackerel fillets.

2. In a mixing bowl add the mackerel, cream cheese, chives, dill, lemon, lime and crème fraîche.

3. In a separate bowl lightly whip the cream to soft peaks.

4. Fold the whipped cream through the mackerel mix and season with salt and pepper.

For the pickled cucumber:

1. Boil all ingredients, excluding the cucumber, and leave to cool.

2. Once cool, add cucumber.

3. Store in fridge.

Serve with toast and a little salad.