Classic Smoked Scottish Mackerel Pate with Whisky & Crackers

Serves 6-8

Phil said: “Smoked fish pates are nothing new I know, but all too often they are pretty grim. Here I have taken out the cream, added a little more fish, and used potatoes to give the pate some substance. The plum tomatoes and red onion are a perfect accompaniment, as long as the onion is very finely sliced, along with rice crackers.”

Ingredients
2 large potatoes
50g unsalted butter
1 large onion, peeled and very finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
200g Scottish smoked mackerel flesh, free of bone and skin
1 medium egg
3 tbsp whisky
4 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
salt
freshly milled black pepper

To serve
rice crackers
6 ripe plum tomatoes, sliced
1 red onion, peeled and very finely sliced

Method
Pre heat the oven to 200°C, Gas Mark 6. Score the potatoes, and then bake in the oven until well cooked. You could also microwave them if you want to get a move on. Cool, then scoop out the potato, discarding the skins. Warm the butter in a pan and then add the onions and garlic. Cook gently, with no colour for about 20 minutes. Place the mackerel, egg, whisky, parsley, cooked potatoes and cooked onion mixture into a food processor and blitz until smooth. Add a little salt and pepper then blitz again. Spoon the mixture into a lightly oiled, non stick 1lb loaf tin. Cover with foil, then place the tin into a deep roasting tray. Half fill the tray with boiling water and then carefully place into the pre heated oven. Cook for 30-40 minutes until just set. Once cooked, carefully remove from the oven, uncover, then cool. Cover with cling film and chill well.

To serve
Place the loaf tin into a tray filled with boiling water and leave for 2-3 minutes to loosen the pate. Carefully turn upside down onto your serving plate, the pate should drop out. Of course you can serve it straight from the loaf tin. Eat with sliced plum tomatoes and onion, and on or with rice crackers.