Todays dinner was so simple to put together I can’t really call it cooking, but just because it’s simple doesn’t mean it wasn’t delicious!
It all started with just one element: the horseradish & beetroot salad. I must admit I didn’t make this myself, our friend Greg made a whole batch of his grandmother’s recipe and it’s amazing. The freshly grated horseradish really packs a punch and works fantastically with the freshly grated beets, what flavours!
I immediately thought of making it with an oily smoked fish, mackerel in this case, but salmon would have worked great too. I boiled baby potatoes, let them cool slightly and then mixed them with crème fraîche, spring onions, finely chopped celery, sea salt and loads of crushed black pepper.
For the smoked mackerel I always love using a whole fish, I love the mix of soft & oily pieces together with firmer pieces. The best way to filet the mackerel is to cut it down the spine, carefully pry it open and then use your hands to flake off the pieces. Your hands get a bit smelly, but it’s the bets way to locate all the bones, I promise.
The cucumber I quickly pickled with sugar, vinegar and freshly chopped dill, but this can also be made ahead of time of course. Lay it all out on a plate and top it off with a perfectly poached or soft boiled egg and you’re done!
Shout out to @polagreg for the amazing horseradish & beetroot salad.
Horseradish & Beetroot Salad served with Potato Salad, Smoked Mackerel and Dill Pickles
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
Loading...Ingredients
- Potato Salad
- 500g Baby potatoes, skin on
- 100g crème fraîche
- 1 spring onion
- 1 celery stalk
- Sea salt & ground black pepper
- Other options could be: red onion, parsley, dill, pickles, capers, chives
- Toppings
- Dill pickles, store bought or homemade
- 1 whole smoked mackerel (leave out if keeping vegetarian)
- 2 eggs (cold from the fridge)
- Horseradish and Beetroot salad, click here for recipe
Instructions
Potato salad (20 minutes boiling + 5 minutes chopping and putting together)
Add the baby potatoes (skin on) to a pot of cold salted water and bring to a boil on high heat.
When boiling turn down heat to medium and cook for ±18 minutes, until a fork easily pricks in them.
When ready, drain and let cool till luke warm in the pan, ± 10 minutes.
Finely chop your flavourings and add to the potatoes, I used spring onion and celery.
Mix through the crème fraîche.
Season well with sea salt and a good grind of fresh black pepper.
Toppings (15 minutes)
While potatoes are boiling you can prepare the other ingredients: flake the mackerel into bite size pieces.
Poach or boil the egg. Perfect soft boiled egg?
Bring a pot of water to the boil.
Carefully add the eggs cold from the fridge and boil for exactly 6.5 minutes.
When done place in bowl filled with water and ice cubes for ± 2 minutes.
Peel and serve warm.
Assemble
Start with the potatoes and slowly layer with the other ingredients.
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