Coarse mackerel pâté open sandwich with pickled shallots

Serves: 4 ● Prep time: 10 - 15 minutes (plus extra to make dressing) ● Cooking time: 0 minutes
This open sandwich is simple to make and yet the flavours are very refined and utterly delicious for a summer lunch. The creamy all-purpose dressing seasons the smoked mackerel perfectly offering you mackerel pate in a matter of minutes! We’ve added some quick pickled shallots for that acidic high note which helps to cut through the oily fish.
method
  • 8 tbsp creamy all-purpose dressing
  • 4 fillets smoked mackerel
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
  • 4 thick slices sourdough
  • 4 large handfuls watercress
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • ¼ cucumber, to serve
  • 12 radishes, to serve


For the pickled shallots

  • 12 shallots
  • 50 g sugar
  • 125 ml (½ cup) Aspall red wine vinegar
  • 125 ml (½ cup) water
  • 1 tsp flaky sea salt


  1. Start by making your creamy all-purpose dressing, following this recipe >.
  2. Next begin by making the quick red wine vinegar pickled shallots. Bring the red wine vinegar, water, sugar and sea salt to simmer in a small saucepan.
  3. Meanwhile, peel and finely slice the shallots into thin rounds.
  4. Swirl the pan to make sure the sugar is dissolved. Once at a simmer turn off the heat and throw in the sliced shallots. These will soften slightly and pickle in the residual heat.
  5. Remove the skin from the mackerel fillets and trim out the central spine to remove the bones; try to waste as little flesh as possible in the process.
  6. In a large mixing bowl combine the flaked mackerel with 6 tablespoons of creamy all-purpose dressing, ½ teaspoon of flaky sea salt and a very generous twist of ground black pepper. Use a fork to mix things and leave plenty of texture.
  7. When you are ready to eat, toast the sourdough well until lightly charred and crunchy, and dress the watercress with 2 tablespoons of creamy all purpose dressing and 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
  8. If you are serving with sliced cucumber and radishes, prepare these now.
  9. Spread your mackerel pâté onto the sourdough toast in a generous layer and top with lots of pickled shallot rings. Garnish with a little chopped curly parsley, a twist of black pepper and the watercress salad.
  10. Enjoy immediately.
ingredients
  • 8 tbsp creamy all-purpose dressing
  • 4 fillets smoked mackerel
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
  • 4 thick slices sourdough
  • 4 large handfuls watercress
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • ¼ cucumber, to serve
  • 12 radishes, to serve


For the pickled shallots

  • 12 shallots
  • 50 g sugar
  • 125 ml (½ cup) Aspall red wine vinegar
  • 125 ml (½ cup) water
  • 1 tsp flaky sea salt


method
  1. Start by making your creamy all-purpose dressing, following this recipe >.
  2. Next begin by making the quick red wine vinegar pickled shallots. Bring the red wine vinegar, water, sugar and sea salt to simmer in a small saucepan.
  3. Meanwhile, peel and finely slice the shallots into thin rounds.
  4. Swirl the pan to make sure the sugar is dissolved. Once at a simmer turn off the heat and throw in the sliced shallots. These will soften slightly and pickle in the residual heat.
  5. Remove the skin from the mackerel fillets and trim out the central spine to remove the bones; try to waste as little flesh as possible in the process.
  6. In a large mixing bowl combine the flaked mackerel with 6 tablespoons of creamy all-purpose dressing, ½ teaspoon of flaky sea salt and a very generous twist of ground black pepper. Use a fork to mix things and leave plenty of texture.
  7. When you are ready to eat, toast the sourdough well until lightly charred and crunchy, and dress the watercress with 2 tablespoons of creamy all purpose dressing and 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
  8. If you are serving with sliced cucumber and radishes, prepare these now.
  9. Spread your mackerel pâté onto the sourdough toast in a generous layer and top with lots of pickled shallot rings. Garnish with a little chopped curly parsley, a twist of black pepper and the watercress salad.
  10. Enjoy immediately.