A delicious lunch or light tea. I like to use peppered smoked mackerel, but you could use plain smoked mackerel if you prefer. Serve with thinly sliced toasted sourdough, shop-bought melba toast or rye crackers.

Serves 2

Ingredients	Equipment to have ready
For the cucumber:	Chopping board
1/4 cucumber, halved lengthways and thinly sliced	Sharp knife
1/2 tsp sugar	Measuring spoons
2 tsp rice vinegar	Spoons for mixing
Pinch of salt	Grater
	Mixing bowls x3
For the celeriac remoulade:
Juice of quarter lemon
Ground black pepper
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 heaped tbsp mayonnaise
1/4 celeriac, finely sliced into matchsticks or grated
1 tbsp finely chopped parsley, fennel fronds or dill (optional)
For the mackerel pate:
2 smoked mackerel fillets
Juice of quarter lemon
1 heaped tbsp crème fraiche
Ground black pepper (if not using peppered mackerel)

Method

1. Start by making the quick pickled cucumber. Put the cucumber slices, sugar, rice vinegar and a pinch of salt in a mixing bowl and stir. Set aside for at least 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. If you can leave it longer, it will be all the better for it.
2. Next make the remoulade. Mix together the lemon juice, pepper, Dijon and mayonnaise in a mixing bowl. Add the celeriac and coat in the mayonnaise mixture. Set aside, stirring occasionally until ready to eat.
3. Now make the smoked mackerel pate. Remove the skin from the mackerel fillets and break up into a mixing bowl. Add the lemon juice, crème fraiche and pepper (if not using peppered mackerel). Mash the fish and combine to make a pate using a fork.