Smoked Mackerel Pâté

 

I've made this pâté well over a hundred times during the last twenty years or so and I'm still making it!  I think it's lasting appeal has something to do with it's speed and simplicity,  not to mention the taste!

Many mackerel pâtés contain a long list of ingredients such as cream, cheese, capers, horseradish etc. but this one doesn't. I can't see the point of adding lots of other flavours to something as distinctive as smoked mackerel.  Just freshly squeezed lemon juice, some dairy free margarine and seasoning are all you need. Serve with some crispy granary baguettes or freshly made toast and a colourful salad for a fabulous lunch or starter.

I've actually never weighed the ingredients before writing the recipe today and it's always turned out fine so just use the recipe as a guide and be your own judge of flavour!

Ingredients                                                                  Serves 4

Approx. 260g Smoked Mackerel Fillets 
75g Dairy Free Margarine, such as Pure
Juice of 1 small lemon (or half a large one)
Freshly ground pepper




Method

Remove the skin from the mackerel and any little bones that run down the middle of the fillet.  Transfer to a food processor and add about three quarters of the lemon juice and a good grinding of black pepper.

Place the margarine in a small dish, microwave for a minute or so until just melted, then add to the other ingredients.

Process until smooth. Check for taste and add more lemon juice and seasoning,  if necessary.

Turn the mixture into a serving dish or individual ramekins and use a fork to swirl the top if you like.

Chill for several hours to set.   Serve with some hot toast or warm crispy bread and salad.

 

Red Pepper Hummus

It seems like everyone is talking about lowering their cholesterol these days. What's more, they seem really stressed about it, worried about the onset of heart disease and complaining they'll have to give up creamy desserts forever. 

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance transported around the body in the bloodstream. It can build up inside our arteries as a result of eating too much saturated fat, much of which comes from animal products. There's plenty of evidence to show that increasing our intake of fresh fruit and vegetables and cutting out meat, eggs and dairy products as well as processed foods can reduce cholesterol levels considerably.

Drugs that are prescribed for lowering cholesterol often have side effects such as kidney and liver damage.  Lowering cholesterol naturally seems a far safer option and has so many more life-enhancing benefits too, such as weightloss and added vitality. What's more, there's evidence to show that, in the long run, dietary change is far more effective.

In addition to eating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables,  other foods low in fat include soya milk, olive oil and pulses.  So, instead of cheese or eggs for lunch, why not try this deliciously smooth pate made with a can of chickpeas and red peppers.  Serve it with warm ciabatta or toasted pitta bread and salad for a tasty well-balanced meal.  It's also good served as a dip with crudites e.g. strips of carrot, celery, cucumber and red pepper.  

You can either use two red peppers or, for extra quickness, use ready roasted ones from a jar or a combination of the two as I've done here.   I buy peppers marinated in olive oil and herbs but if you find yours contain vinegar, I would leave out the lemon juice in the recipe.

This keeps really well in the fridge for a week and definitely improves in flavour a day or two after being made, if you can wait that long!

Ingredients

I red pepper
1 400g can chickpeas, drained & rinsed
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
About 60g roasted red peppers in oil 
2 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper




First prepare the red pepper if using. Quarter and remove the core and seeds from the pepper.  Place on a baking sheet skin side up and brush with a little olive oil. 

Grill for 5 to 10 mins on a high heat until charred. 

Remove and place a bowl over the top (or put them in a plastic bag and seal) until cool enough to handle, by which time the skin should peel away quite easily.

Chop the skinned pepper into small pieces, place in a bowl and set aside whilst you make the hummus.

Drain the chickpeas and place in a food processor with the crushed garlic and lemon juice.

Blend until smooth, stopping frequently to stir around the side of the bowl with a spatula to make sure everything has blended.

Add the roasted red peppers from the jar.  Whizz again adding 2 tbsp of olive oil a little at a time until it becomes a light, soft consistency.

Spoon into a bowl with the skinned and chopped red pepper and mix well. Season with salt and pepper.

Before serving, drizzle with a little olive oil and garnish with red pepper pieces or a light dusting of paprika.

Sage and Lemon Savoury Pâté

Maybe it’s just me but everywhere I look these days there’s a headline about obesity. Apparently the UK is the fattest nation in Europe and it’s all because we’re eating the wrong food.  Obesity now rivals smoking as the number one public health problem according to a recent BBC Panorama programme which explored the idea of adding a government tax to unhealthy products rather like the tax on cigarettes. The question is would this deter people enough from buying cheap junk food that’s so readily available in our supermarkets today?

Clearly it’s a problem that’s not going to go away and something has to be done before the obesity crisis escalates out of control costing individuals untold misery and the country millions of pounds in healthcare.  In my opinion, taxing unhealthy food would be unlikely to change anything. Like cigarettes, making them more expensive doesn’t necessarily make someone give up smoking.  

With the best will in the world, changing a habit takes commitment and discipline but, even more than that, requires an element of self-reflection which can be the hardest part for many people, especially when it comes to losing weight. Discovering where their relationship with food began and understanding how their thoughts and feelings have created the imbalance are essential steps towards making healthier food choices. 

Most of us learn how and what to eat from our parents and I’m no exception.  I grew up in the Sixties in a very different world to the one we live in today. Like many women of her generation, my Mum gave up her teaching career to care for the family only returning to part time work when I was in my teens.  She loved to cook and try out new recipes so, every evening, I came home to a freshly prepared two course meal made from scratch with a wide variety of meat, fish and dairy products and plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables.  From an early age, I enjoyed good food and, thanks to my Mum’s creativity, I was eating Mediterranean dishes at home long before most of my friends had even heard of Spaghetti Bolognese.

Without doubt, the habits I learned in childhood around food gave me a healthy foundation on which to build my own parameters.  Three good meals a day were the norm so I never knew what snacking was. Our tuck shop at primary school may have sold potato puffs, jammy dodgers and an assortment of “goodies” yet I felt absolutely no inclination to buy them.  My mind and body didn’t crave them. 

My eating habits didn’t change that much during my teenage years but my initiation into food misery was yet to come.  When I went off to college at 18, living in digs proved an education in itself sharing a home with a young family where a child’s tantrums, especially concerning eating, and, in retaliation, a mother’s yelling were a new and shocking experience for me!  My evening meals were included but the food we were given took some adjustment with a typical family Sunday meal being chicken and chips with no vegetables.

In fact, tinned vegetables like butter beans often took the place of the fresh ones I was used to and I hated them.  The contrast from what I was used to eating was considerable and my body responded accordingly. Within a year, I had put on a stone in weight. Once I realised my body was ballooning outwards and it wasn’t just my jeans shrinking, I knew something had to change. I ended the summer term dieting frantically before I returned home for the summer holidays. 

From then on, I realised it was up to me to take control of what I ate and make conscious food choices every single day.  It mattered to me so much to stay fit and healthy that this decision was easy.  However many times other people offer us incentives to do something, even financial ones from the government, making a decision to do it for ourselves is the one that counts and that has to come from a place of knowing deep within us.  When we believe the responsibility lies entirely with us, and not elsewhere, our power to change is immense!

In celebration of tinned butter beans which is something I now keep in my store cupboard (though never eat on their own) here’s a recipe for a 
Sage and Lemon Savoury Bean Pâté
which is ....

• CHEAP – a quarter of the price of a ready-made pate!
• FAST – takes only 15 minutes to make 
• TASTY – transforms beans into a tangy, light and healthy spread

Ingredients

A 410g can of Butter Beans

3 small shallots

1 clove of garlic

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

A handful (about 12) fresh sage leaves

Half a lemon
Salt and Pepper

Peel and chop the shallots, peel and crush the garlic, finely chop the sage leaves and grate the zest of half a lemon.  I do all this on one board and mix them together.

Now heat the olive oil in a frying pan and add the chopped mixture. Fry gently for 5 minutes stirring regularly so it doesn't brown.

Drain the liquid from the tinned beans into a measuring jug, keeping 100ml and throwing away the remainder.   Add the beans and the reserved liquid to the pan.

Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 5 minutes until most of the liquid has disappeared.  Remove the pan from the heat.

Pour in the juice of half a lemon and some freshly ground salt and pepper.

Using a hand-held blender (a potato masher or fork will do)  blend the mixture till smooth.

  

Transfer to a small bowl and cool.

 Serve with crusty bread or toast and salad for a simply delicious lunch!