A pot of this Smoked Mackerel Pate is great to serve as a fresh-tasting starter or a tasty supper snack. It is very easy to make and can be ready in minutes or will keep happily in the fridge if you want to make in advance. You can also dress the presentation up or down according to your preference or the occasion. It would also works well as a picnic treat.

Smoked Mackerel From Crouch End

The smoked Mackerel sold through our shops is smoked in the century old smoke house at the rear of the Crouch End Shop. What you see on our counter are truly local food products. These are made with traditional skills and recipes that have been handed down through the family for at least six generations.

Allow about 1 fillet or 100g of Mackerel per person – the ingredients below are for two people but you can easily increase the quantities for larger numbers.

Ingredients For Smoked Mackerel Pate

2 Smoked Mackerel fillets from Walter Purkis & Sons

25g unsalted butter (softened)

2 Spring Onions

Crème fraîche

Dijon Mustard

1 lemon

Horseradish Sauce

Fresh Parsley

Salt and pepper for seasoning

Cooking Method For Smoked Mackerel Pate

Remove the skin from the fillets – the bones are removed but you can remove any small ones you see. then choose your pate version:

Rustic presentation:

Flake the fillets into a bowl, using a fork roughly mash the mackerel. Then add two table spoons of the Crème fraîche, a mild squeeze of lemon juice and plenty of black pepper. Mix together and you have a chunky pate ready to go. Garnish with some chopped spring onion.

Serve with some hearty slices of toasted sour-dough bread and a good dollop of horseradish sauce.

Smooth Pate Presentation:

This version is smoother and uses a mixer. Place the flaked fish into your blender along with 25g of softened butter, 1 small spring onion (chopped), zest from half the lemon and then blend again until smooth.

Spoon into ramekins,  smooth and chill in the fridge. As an extra refinement you can add a butter layer on top – leave space if you want to do this.

For the butter layer just mix in a few spoonfuls of horseradish sauce with the butter (melted) also finely chopped parsley season with salt and pepper; mix together and pour into the ramekins chill so that it sets before serving.