Smoked mackerel: A versatile staple for budget-friendly meals

Smoked mackerel is not only tasty but also an economical fish. Its additional advantage is its easy preparation. After splitting the fish into two halves, the skeleton almost entirely separates from the meat, leaving just a few small bones to remove. Mackerel is most often eaten as a sandwich spread or served with bread, but it can also be used for more sophisticated dishes, including main courses. Below are some practical recipes for dishes with mackerel.

You can add capers or sun-dried tomatoes to the cream sauce with mackerel to transform an ordinary dish into an exclusive culinary experience.

Ingredients:

• 1 smoked mackerel,
• lemon,
• 2 onions,
• a bunch of dill,
• 2-3 garlic cloves,
• 400 ml double cream,
• pasta, such as spaghetti,
• seasonings: salt and pepper,
• 3 tablespoons oil.

Instructions:

1. Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet.
2. Clean the smoked mackerel from skin and bones, and divide it into small pieces.
3. Finely chop the onion, press the garlic through a press, and blanch the lemon, then grate its zest and squeeze out the juice.
4. Sauté the onion in heated oil, add cream, garlic, and lemon zest, bring to a boil.
5. Add the pieces of smoked mackerel to the sauce, heat through, and finally add lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste, sprinkle with chopped dill.
6. Combine with the drained pasta.

You can serve these muffins at a party as finger foods.

Ingredients:

• 125 g butter,
• 1.5 cups flour,
• a pinch of salt,
• 125 ml water,
• 1 smoked mackerel,
• 70 g mayonnaise,
• 250 g semi-fat cottage cheese,
• a bunch of chives,
• 5 radishes,
• 2 hard-boiled eggs,
• salt and pepper to taste.

Instructions:

1. Sift the flour onto a pastry board, add salt, diced cold butter, and quickly knead the dough into a ball. Wrap it in cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
2. Next, roll out the dough and use a glass to cut out circles.
3. Line greased muffin tins with the dough. Put in an oven preheated to 220°C for 12 minutes. You can weigh down the dough with beans—place parchment paper on the muffins and put beans on top. Remove from the oven when they turn golden.
4. In a bowl, mix the cottage cheese with the shredded mackerel, mayonnaise, hard-boiled eggs, chopped chives, and finely chopped radishes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Fill the muffins with the spread and garnish with parsley.

Such patties are a great way to use up potatoes from yesterday's dinner.

Ingredients:

• 1 smoked mackerel,
• 3 cooked potatoes,
• a handful of parsley,
• 1 egg,
• salt and pepper to taste.

Instructions:

1. Press the cooked potatoes through a ricer, and mix with chopped parsley.
2. Add the chopped mackerel, salt, pepper, and egg to the mixture, and mix well.
3. Form the mixture into patties in your hands, then fry them in a pan with heated oil.

You can also prepare a classic version of the smoked mackerel spread with mayonnaise and parsley or in a more Mediterranean style, for example with sun-dried tomatoes and capers. By adding ingredients like pickles or canned corn, you can turn the spread into a delicious salad. Smoked mackerel also works well as an addition to a traditional vegetable salad or German potato salad—with potatoes, pickles, and onions.

Ingredients:

• 1 smoked mackerel,
• 4 eggs,
• 2 pickles,
• 1 red onion,
• 1-2 garlic cloves,
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise,
• 1 teaspoon mustard,
• a bunch of chives,
• salt, pepper.

Instructions:

1. Clean and shred the mackerel.
2. Hard-boil the eggs, let them cool, peel the shells, and finely chop.
3. Chop the pickles, onion, garlic, and chives.
4. Mix all ingredients with mayonnaise and mustard, season with salt and pepper.