Mix it up with taste of the sea

A SPOONFUL of fish paté, with a green salad, is perfect at this time of year, when low temperatures still give us an appetite for something substantial, but not heavy.

Spread on hot toast, a decent smoked mackerel paté is easy to serve with drinks, or loosened up with a little cream, as a dip for batons of fresh vegetables. I like a blob of it on a bowl of vegetable soup, or warmed gently to serve over pasta. It can also make an easy filling for quiches.

Making a fish paté is as easy as blending a fillet of fish with a tablespoon of cream cheese, yoghurt, or fresh cream. Add the juice of half a lemon, and a little paprika for fresh salmon. Cook fresh salmon or mackerel first, and allow to cool.