Smoked mackerel fishcakes

A twist on a comforting classic – delicious crispy smoked mackerel fishcakes, served with seasonal pickled vegetables and a smooth celeriac remoulade.

30 minutes prep. time
30 minutes cooking time
Serves 4
Pies & savoury treats

Smoked mackerel fishcake with celeriac remoulade and pickled vegetables | © National Trust

For the fishcake

800g potato, peeled and diced
400g smoked mackerel
1 tsp fresh horseradish, grated
12g mayonnaise
1 egg, beaten
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
150g breadcrumbs
25g parsley
2 tbsp vegetable oil

For the remoulade

200g celeriac
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
2 tbsp (heaped) mayonnaise
Juice of ½ a lemon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the pickled vegetables

100ml white wine vinegar
25g caster sugar
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
A twig of fresh thyme
½ tsp crushed chilli flakes
½ tsp salt
300g mixed veg (we used carrots, cauliflower, beetroot, red cabbage and apples, but you can substitute these for vegetables you want to use up or have growing in the garden)

Top tip

If you can’t get fresh horseradish, you could swap the fresh horseradish and mayonnaise for 1 tbsp of horseradish sauce.

Step 1

Simmer the potatoes in lightly salted water until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Drain well and leave to steam dry. Then mash the potatoes lightly, leaving some chunks for texture, and set aside to cool.

Step 2

Remove the skin and any bones from the mackerel fillets then shred the fish into flakes.

Step 3

Place the horseradish and mayonnaise (or horseradish sauce), egg and a good pinch of salt into the mashed potatoes. Mix well until evenly combined and smooth.

Step 4

Gently fold the flaked fish and parsley into the mixture, with 1 tbsp of the breadcrumbs. Mix until everything is evenly distributed and holding together.

Step 5

Divide the mixture into four even-sized pieces and, using your hands, mould them into round patties. Place each one in the breadcrumbs and press gently, turning to give an even coating.

Step 6

Place a frying pan over a high heat and add the oil to coat. Place the fishcakes in the pan and fry for around 1 minute each side, or until lightly golden, turning once.

Step 7

Place the fishcakes on a lined baking tray and put in a hot oven at 180°C (160°C fan/gas mark 4) for around 5 minutes, or until the cakes are hot all the way through.

Step 8

For the remoulade

Peel and grate the celeriac. Place into a bowl and add the mustard, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Mix well and season to taste.

Step 9

For the pickled vegetables

Put the vinegar and 100ml water in a pan, and add the sugar, garlic, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, thyme, salt and crushed chilli flakes. Heat lightly to dissolve the sugar and then remove from the heat.

Step 10

Place the chopped mixed vegetables into a bowl. Place a sieve over the bowl and pour over the pickling liquid and leave to cool, then place in the fridge to chill. Discard the pickling spices.