Recipe by Simon Hulstone
Try this deliciously light, pâté recipe from Simon Hulstone, chef proprietor of the Michelin starred Torquay restaurant, The Elephant.
Photo credit: David Griffin – Great British Chefs
Ingredients
Poaching Liquor:
- 2 shallots peeled and finely sliced
- 1 leek (white part) washed and finely sliced
- 2 celery sticks washed and finely sliced
- Garlic clove peeled and crushed
- 1 Bay leaf
- 4 Black peppercorns
- 3 – 4 fresh parsley stalks
- 1 kilo turbot or sole bones washed and all blood removed (chopped)
- 200ml dry white wine
- 2 litres of cold water
- 1 lemon juiced
- 50ml olive oil
Mackerel Pate:
- 4x 150g mackerel fillets pin boned and skin left on
- 75g whipped butter
- 2 – 3 tbsp crème fraiche
- ½ tsp finely grated horseradish
- Smoked paprika to taste
- Salt
Cucumber Pickle:
- 1 cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
- 600ml water
- 2 cloves
- 1 cardamom pod
- 4 black peppercorns
- ½ tsp caraway seeds toasted
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- Small bay leaf
- 1 Sprig of tarragon
- 30g salt
- 50g Chardonnay vinegar
Method
Poaching Liquor:
- In a heavy based pan on medium heat, sweat off the shallots and garlic without colour.
- Add the bay leaf, parsley, peppercorns and fish bones.
- Allow to cook for 2 – 3 mins, add the wine and reduce until almost dry.
- Add cold water and bring to the simmer, simmer for 20 minutes, skimming constantly.
- Remove from the heat and leave to stand for 20 minutes.
- Add lemon juice and pass through a sieve, check seasoning and store in the fridge.
Mackerel Pate:
- In a wide pan, poach the mackerel fillets in your poaching liquor until cooked. Once cooked, discard the cooking liquor and separate the flesh from the mackerel skin.
- Put the mackerel flesh in a bowl add the butter, crème fraiche, horseradish, and paprika to taste.
- Then combine all the ingredients with a fork, till the mackerel has broken up into fine strands and season (similar to a meat rillette).
- You want the mixture to be dry enough so you can quenelle it later on. If it isn’t just add a little more crème fraiche. Cover and chill.
Cucumber Pickle:
- Heat the water up to boiling point with everything except the vinegar.
- As soon as the water boils remove from the heat and allow to cool.
- When the liquor is cold add the vinegar, and put the sliced cucumbers into a kilner and cover with the vinegar mix. Leave until required, allowing longer with improve the taste.
Once ready to serve, quenelle the pâté and serve with the pickled cucumber
