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Mackerel pâté with Hélène’s pickled cucumbers
Serves 4 Starters and mains
Ingredients
- 400g smoked mackerel fillets, skinned
- 200g cream cheese
- 1tbsp crème fraîche
- 1 lemon, halved
- 2tbsp chives, chopped
- 2tbsp dill, chopped, plus extra to garnish
- oatcakes, to serve
For Hélène's pickled cucumbers
- 100g sugar
- 100ml white wine vinegar
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 350g cucumber
- sterilised glass jars
Method
Break the mackerel fillets into a blender or food processor, checking carefully for any small bones. Add the cream cheese, crème fraîche and a squeeze of lemon, and blend until smooth. Transfer to a mixing bowl, add the chopped herbs and season. Divide the pâté among the sterilised glass jars and bang a few times on the work surface to dispel any air. Chill for at least 1 hour, until required.
The pâté will keep well in the fridge for up to three days. Next, to make the pickled cucumbers, add 500ml water to a heavy-based saucepan and stir in the sugar, vinegar, bay leaves, thyme and a pinch of salt. Bring up to the boil, then set aside and allow to cool completely.
Once the brine is cool, pour it into a non-metallic bowl. Cut the cucumbers into 0.5cm-thick slices, add them to the brine and leave for around 2 hours, then transfer to the fridge to chill for at least 1 hour further before serving (they will also keep in a covered container in the fridge for up to two days).
Remove the cucumber slices from the brine and pat them dry on kitchen paper. Spread the pâté on to the cucumber slices, sprinkle over a little dill and serve with the oatcakes.
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