Smoked mackerel pate on crispy bread

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 fillet smoked mackerel, skin and any bones removed
• 150g cream cheese
• 1/4th red onion finely diced
• Tablespoon fennel tops
• 6 leaves basil
• Zest of half a lemon
• Juice of half a lemon
• 6 slices brown bread
• Olive oil
• Black pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C.
2. Cut off the crust of the sliced bread. You can use these for breadcrumbs if you don’t want to throw them away.
3. Using a rolling pin, roll out the bread until flattened, have expanded and have become very thin.
4. Roughly tear them into bite sized pieces or if you want to be more precise, slice each one into 6 pieces.
5. Place on a baking tray and drizzle with olive and season with salt. Bake in the oven for 6 to 8 minutes until crispy.
6. For the pate, finely chop the basil and fennel tops.
7. In a bowl put the cream cheese, herbs, lemon juice and zest, red onion and a good amount of black pepper.
8. Roughly chop the smoked mackerel and add it to the bowl. Mix it thoroughly until you have a rustic pate.
9. Check for seasoning and add any salt if needed.
10. Allow the bread crisps to cool and then spoon small amount on each one and garnish with sprigs of fennel tops. Alternatively,  you can serve the pate in a bowl and everyone can help themselves, using the bread crisps as crackers.

This recipe first appeared on Gourmet Today, December, 2018

Watch full episode below: