Smoked mackerel pate

You forget some things, you forget how good they are and well how easy they are to make. You forget them until you find yourself thinking why do I not make that, I have not made that for such a long time it would be so good to eat. That is what has happened to me and smoked mackerel pate. It could not be easier to make, it is just full of flavour and you do not have to be a experienced cook to make it. All you need is a food processor and you are there. And with this recipe if you use low fact cream cheese them it is really good for you as well.

The ingredients are

2 x 180g/6¼oz cooked smoked mackerel fillets
180g/6¼oz cream cheese
1tbsp creamed horseradish
The juice of ½ a lemon
Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Freshly ground sea salt and black pepper to taste
A few chopped fresh chives

Now if you like you can use less cheese and more mackerel if you like, it all depends on how much you like the taste of mackerel.

This is all you have to do take the mackerel fillets and remove the skins and flake the flesh in to the food processor. Add the cream cheese, horseradish and lemon juice and just blend until you have a smooth pate texture.  Then season with the nutmeg, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper to taste. Once you have got it to how you like it add the fresh chopped chives and fold them in. Transfer in to a dish and chill for about an hour, and that is it the cooking is done.

Now all you need is the perfect accompaniment for the pate and that has to be really good wholemeal bread, toasted.   A squeeze of lime or lemon over the top and nothing more.

Not many things are easier than that and taste that good , trust me.