# Smoked mackerel pâté



## chrisbelgium (Oct 2, 2010)

(Click images to enlarge)

 

A very simple and easy to make "algo a picar" or "something to nibble" to serve with your aperitif. Looks great, tastes great, plenty omega-3 it seems but who cares. You can make a thousand combinations adding your own prefered ingredients, but remember, less is more. 

*Smoked mackerel pâté*

Simply buy a good quality smoked mackerel. Take the skin off, put in your food processor with approx. equal amount mascarpone and a little cream to smoothen.

Add s&p, lime zeste and juice, chopped parcely, chopped chili deseeded, capers. Let set in the fridge, preferably overnight.

I'll tell you a secret; I handcut most other ingredients and add them after the mackerel/mascarpone comes out of the food processor. Don't tell anyone. Simply blitz them in the food processor if handcutting isn't your thing, the color of the pâté will be somewhat grey-ish.

Cut rounds from a good artisanal white bread, preferably a day old. Fry in butter or oil, on not too high fire until lightly goldenbrown. Put on paper towel to get rid of most grease. That's it! I served this with crunchy raw Belgian endive (remove the bitter core first) and cava of course.


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## ishbel (Jan 5, 2007)

Great minds think alike, I made mackerel pate for lunch today!

I use lemon instead of lime and don't add any chili, I prefer to use some creamed horseradish (or freshly grated, if I've got some)  - and I used cream cheese rather than marscapone.  I served it with toasted home-made sourdough bread and cornichons.

Sometimes I add a small amount of chopped capers.


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## boar_d_laze (Feb 13, 2008)

Love smoked mackarel.  You don't see it much in US markets though.  I get mine at Eastern European/Armenian specialty markets.  FWIW, prepared smoked trout pate is often available at fish and gourmet markets.  Not too different. 

I like smoked mackarel just as a fillet, like kippers, to partner scrambled eggs; on a bagel with cream cheese and fixings; and as a pate, more or less like the ones Chis and Ishbel describe. 

You can make a smoked fish pate entirely in the food processor without over chopping the vegetables, by rough cutting them, putting them in the blender with the cream cheese, a bit of sour cream, fish and whatever, "blitzing," and simply stopping when the veg are the right size.  The fish itself doesn't need to be completely pureed.  For one thing, it will break up more finer than crisp vegetables.  For another, a few hours will marry the flavors well enough even if the fish is slightly chunky.

My smoked fish pates usually include capers, shallots, red (bell)peppers, dill, parsley, chives, and lemon or lime juice.   Sometimes I kick up the heat by subbing a mild red chile (like a Fresno) for the bell pepper, or adding some fresh jalapeno or canned chipotle with adobo.

Thanks for reminding me.

BDL


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

Here in Florida smoked king fish is the one most guys do Marinated fish filets for 1 full day in white sugar, brown sugar,salt, ,water. Then smoke over hikory chips. Then put in Buffalo machine , with onions,celery,worchestire, Hellmans Mayo, pepper, We sell tons of this stuff. You can use other fish or even mix but king is good.


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## chrisbelgium (Oct 2, 2010)

Ishbel said:


> Great minds think alike, I made mackerel pate for lunch today!


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I often use lower fat creamcheese too. I think I never made the same version twice, all depends on the stuff I have in the fridge.


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## ishbel (Jan 5, 2007)

Exactly, ChrisBelgium!


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