smoked mackerel

Efo riro is a rich vegetable side dish that can accompany various starches and can be cooked with or without fish or meat. It is rich enough that the starches it accompanies — various pounded starches called fufu, fluffy steamed rice, boiled plantains or yams, to name a few — can come very much unadorned. While the leafy, hearty amaranth greens form the traditional base, mature spinach is a great substitute, and, though rare in Nigerian cuisine, collards or kale can also be used. It is crucial to blanch fresh greens and squeeze out as much liquid as possible before adding to the obe ata base of puréed tomatoes, peppers and onions. If using frozen greens, defrost ahead of time and repeat the squeezing process. The last thing you want to do is dilute all those incredible flavors you’ve spent time building.

Efo Riro (Stewed Amaranth Greens)

tomatoes

red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and roughly chopped

red onion, peeled and roughly chopped

garlic cloves,

ginger,

chile,

canola or other neutral oil

Kosher salt

amaranth greens (also known as tete

canola or other neutral oil

onion,

red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped

crayfish shrimp

beans

turmeric

red palm oil

mackerel

Combine all the obe ata ingredients except the canola oil in a blender and purée on high until smooth, working in batches if needed. The liquid from the can of tomatoes should suffice, but you can add up to 1/4 cup of water if necessary to get the purée going. (You should have about 3 cups of purée.)

Heat the canola oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high. Add the purée and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer until the sauce is slightly reduced by about a third of its original volume, 18 to 20 minutes. (It should make about 2 cups.)

Meanwhile, if using fresh greens, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high and prepare an ice bath in a large bowl. (You can skip this blanching step if using frozen spinach.) Pick the leaves off the bunch of amaranth greens, if using, and discard the tough stems. Once the water is boiling, blanch the leaves until bright green and just tender, about 2 minutes. (You can work in batches if necessary.) Cool greens immediately by transferring to the ice bath using a slotted spoon.

In a large, deep skillet or sauté pan, heat the canola oil over medium-high. Sauté the onion and bell pepper until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the dried crayfish, fermented locust beans and turmeric. Sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute, lowering the heat if necessary to avoid scorching.

Stir in the obe ata and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until sauce thickens slightly, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and stir in the red palm oil. Cook for 1 more minute.

Remove the greens from the ice bath and squeeze out as much water as you can. (You want the greens to be as dry as possible so you don’t dilute the vibrant flavors of the sauce.) If using frozen greens, squeeze out any excess liquid before using.

Add the greens to the skillet and stir to coat with the sauce. Gently stir in the flaked fish. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the greens and fish are warmed through, 4 to 5 minutes. Season with salt to taste.

Find out how to make smoked mackerel pâté with our quick-fix recipe. It would  make a sensational speedy starter at your next dinner party and is so tasty that no one will guess it takes just 15 minutes to make! This mackerel and beetroot salad combination would also make a lovely, bright starter, too.

Speedy mackerel pâté

pack of peppered smoked mackerel fillets (skin removed)

lemon

tbsp capers

Philadelphia Light cream cheese

parsley

horseradish

sourdough toast

In a food processor whizz the mackerel fillets, the lemon juice and zest, capers, cream cheese, parsley or dill and creamed horseradish. Taste and season, then scrape into a serving bowl.

Sprinkle with extra chopped herbs, lemon zest and black pepper. Serve with 2 slices of sourdough toast per person.

A jar of this fresh-tasting smoked mackerel pâté is great to serve as a starter or to pack for a picnic. This no-cook starter is unbelievably easy to whizz up and costs very little. 

Smoked mackerel pâté

tsp horseradish (or 2 tsp horseradish sauce)

Dijon mustard

black pepper

tbsp crème fraîche

½ lemon, juice only

grams/2½oz unsalted butter, chopped

spring onions, chopped

sourdough bread,

A tasty dip that you can keep in the fridge for a quick snack, full of omega-3's

Smoked mackerel dip

smoked mackerel fillets, skinned and finely flaked

tub soured cream

spring onions

selection of crunchy raw vegetable, to serve

In a mixing bowl, stir the smoked mackerel, soured cream and spring onions together to make a textured dip, then stir in the horseradish. Spoon into a serving bowl and serve with sticks of raw veg for dipping. Can be chilled for up to 3 days.

Make an easy, nutritious potato and smoked mackerel salad in 25 minutes

Warm new potato & smoked mackerel salad

new potato

crème fraîche

horseradish cream

watercress

Cook the potatoes in a large pan of boiling salted water for 15-20 minutes or until tender.

While the potatoes are cooking, mix the crème fraîche in a large bowl with the horseradish cream and lemon juice. Season well with freshly ground black pepper (there’s no need for salt because of the saltiness of the smoked mackerel).

Drain the potatoes, halve and set aside to cool down for a few minutes. Tip into the crème fraîche mix and stir so it coats them and becomes quite runny. Now add the smoked mackerel and watercress and toss gently together. Pile on two plates and serve straight away (it’s best while still warm).

Use up leftover mash to create a comforting, good-value family meal

Peppered mackerel fishcakes

cold mashed potato

horseradish sauce

tbsp plain flour

breadcrumbs

sunflower oil

salad and lemon wedges,

In a large bowl, mix together the potato, spring onions, horseradish and mackerel, then shape into 8 even-size cakes. Roll the fishcakes in the flour, shaking off any excess, then dip in the egg, followed by the breadcrumbs. Cover and chill until ready to cook. Can be prepared up to a day ahead, or frozen.

Gently grill or shallow-fry the fishcakes for 5-6 mins on each side until crunchy, golden brown and hot all the way through. Serve with salad and lemon wedges.

A hearty dish for brunch, lunch, or dinner. Angela Hartnett serves this recipe for Nick Grimshaw and guest Stephen Merchant on episode 13, season 5 of Dish, the Waitrose podcast. The dish is paired with Le Bijou Rosé de Sophie Valrose. Discover all recipes prepared by Angela Hartnett on the Dish podcast. Dish is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Smoked mackerel & spinach baked eggs

200 g Essential Peppered Smoked Mackerel

260 g pack Essential Spinach, washed

tbsp Essential Double Cream

Dijon Mustard

Essential Free Range White Eggs

g pack chives (optional)

slice/s wholemeal bread, toasted (optional)

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 200ºC,
gas mark 6. Remove the skin
and any bones from the
mackerel, then break the fish
into chunks. Wilt the spinach
according to pack instructions.

Step 2

 Mix the cream with the
mustard. Squeeze the spinach
to remove as much water as
possible, then roughly chop.
Divide between 2 ovenproof
dishes. Add the mackerel,
followed by the cream
mixture, then crack an egg
on top of each one.

Step 3

Cook on a baking tray for
12-14 minutes. The egg white
should be set but the yolk still
wobbly. Scatter with chives, if
using, and some black pepper
then serve immediately with
toast for dipping, if liked.

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Top Tags

Efo Riro (Stewed Amaranth Greens)

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Top 7 smoked mackerel recipes from across the web

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Top Tags

Efo Riro (Stewed Amaranth Greens)

Speedy mackerel pâté

Smoked mackerel pâté

Smoked mackerel dip

Warm new potato & smoked mackerel s...

Peppered mackerel fishcakes

Smoked mackerel & spinach baked egg...

The most viewed smoked mackerel recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine