Fabulous Fish Pâté

This is such an easy recipe that can be adapted to suit your taste. Smoked mackerel has a stronger taste than tuna. It also makes a great main meal when served with salad.

Ingredients

Mackerel pâté
200g (1 small packet) smoked mackerel
125g reduced-fat cream cheese
1 small lemon (juice only)
Ground black pepper (optional)

Tuna pâté
1 x 185g can tuna in spring water
75g low-fat natural yoghurt (about half a small pot)
1 small lemon (juice only)
Ground black pepper (optional)

Serving suggestions:
Bread (slices or rolls)
Vegetable dippers (strips of celery, red or yellow pepper, carrots and/or cucumber)
Crackers or breadsticks
Little gem lettuce leaves

Equipment

Weighing scales (if making mackerel pâté)
Scissors (if making mackerel pâté)
Can opener (if making tuna pâté)
Colander (if making tuna pâté)
Large mixing bowl
Fork
Sharp knife
Chopping board
Juice squeezer
Measuring spoons
Metal spoon
Tasting spoon
Small bowl, to serve
Plates, to serve
Kitchen paper (optional)

Instructions

1. Open the packet of smoked mackerel, if using. You may need scissors. If using canned tuna, open the can and drain the water away using a colander.
2. Place the fish in the mixing bowl, and using clean hands, separate into flakes and remove any bones and skin.
3. Use a fork to finely mash the fish.
4. Add the cream cheese or natural yoghurt to the fish and mash into a paste.
5. Slice the lemon in half and squeeze the juice. Add to the pâté.
6. Add black pepper (if using) to taste and stir well. Taste the pâté and add more lemon juice or black pepper if required.
7. Stir well and serve in a small bowl.
8. Slice bread, open packets of crackers and/or wash and slice vegetable dippers. Arrange on serving plates. If serving in little gem lettuce leaves, chop a £1 thick slice off the bottom of the lettuce and wash each leaf and dry with kitchen paper. Then place 1 x 15ml spoon of pâté on each leaf.

Skills used include:
Weighing, measuring, chopping, squeezing, mixing/combining, mashing and serving.

Top Tips

• Have a piece of kitchen paper handy for the fish bones and skin, so you can throw it straight in the bin.
• If you are serving this on crackers at a party, spread the fish pâté at the last minute, as it can make crackers soggy if spread too long before eating.
• Double the recipe to serve 8.

Something to try next time

• Swap the plain cream cheese for cream cheese flavoured with chives.
• Garnish your pâté with a little fresh parsley, chopped chives, cucumber or celery.
• Swap the fish for crab – you can buy this from a fish market, fishmonger or in cans. Mix it with low-fat yoghurt, lemon juice and black pepper.
• Swap the fish for peppered smoked mackerel and leave out the black pepper.

Prepare now, eat later

• Flake the fish and squeeze the lemon juice and store, covered, in the fridge (separately) for up to 24 hours.
• Prepare any accompaniments, such as bread, vegetable dippers, lettuce leaves up to 24 hours in advance. Salad and vegetables should be stored in the fridge in plastic bags or tubs.
• Once made, cover and store the pâté in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
• This recipe is not suitable for freezing.