Smoked mackerel pate, a great dinner party starter that also works as part of a sharing platter for an evening get together with family or friends.
Smoked mackerel pate is a super simple dish to make. It's more assemble and blitz together in a food processor rather than an actual cook. This is a great starter for a novice cook, or someone who want's to enjoy something tasty, but has limited time to prepare anything. What I like about this pate is that it can feed a crowd but can be made a day in advance and kept in the fridge. Prior to serving, simply remove from the fridge and serve with toast when you're ready.
This smoked mackerel pate is one of my daughter and I's favourite things to eat. (Funnily enough it's possibly Michelle's idea of hell food on a plate - although in fairness she did try it! The combination of smoked fish and dairy is not one she enjoys). I make this pate a lot, sometimes as a starter but sometimes as a quick mid-week supper with a pile of hot toast. I particularly enjoy granary bread with this pate. There's something very enjoyable about grainy, malty bread that works well with this smooth pate.
It also works great on a sharing platter, or as a dinner party starer when you have friends round. I'm lucky as my family all love oily fish and its never a struggle to get everyone to eat it. One of my favourite memories is of my daughter eating a bowl of this for Christmas lunch, one year old in her high chair, paper party hat askew, pate all over her face and the biggest smile you've ever seen!
Does mackerel contain fish oils?
Smoked mackerel is an oily fish and therefore, like all oily fish, a great source of Omega-3. We should all be looking to increase the amount of good fish oils in our diet and mackerel is a great fish for this. However, smoked mackerel does have more salt in it that fresh mackerel, this is due to the smoking process. So it's worth noting to hold back on the salt when seasoning the pate, adding a little at a time. You don't want to over salt the mackerel pate.
Can I freeze this pate?
If you have bought the smoked mackerel fresh and it hasn't already been frozen, then yes. In fact I often buy twice as much as I require so that I can double up the portion. I then freeze it in individual sized containers, ready to take out of the fridge for a quick lunch or supper on busy days.
How long will this mackerel pate keep?
If covered and kept in the fridge, this mackerel pate will keep for a couple of days in the fridge.
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Additional Recipe Suggestions:
If you like this seafood starter then try our Scallops with Pea Puree & Butter Sauce, our Scallops with Celeriac & Bacon and our Beetroot Cured Salmon.
smoked mackerel pate
Ingredients
- 50 g butter
- 1 small onion (finely chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (crushed)
- 3 smoked mackerel fillets (skinless and bones removed)
- 100 ml natural yoghurt
- juice of half lemon
- salt & pepper
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan, add the onion and garlic and saute gently over a medium heat until soft. Take care to cook the onions but not to colour them.
- Place the onion and garlic mixture into a food processor together with all the remaining ingredients and blend together until you have the consistency you like.
- Spoon the pate into bowls, cover with cling-film and chill in the fridge until you are ready to serve.
• Please note that the nutrition information provided above is approximate and meant as a guideline only •
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