Mackerel salad with lemon mayonnaise recipe

I like to peel the tomatoes first by covering them with boiling water, leaving for 30 seconds then draining. The skins should slip off fairly easily. It’s extra faff but does make the salad feel more special.

Timings

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Serves

4

Ingredients

• 5 eggs

• 320g frozen peas

• 1 spring onion, white part finely chopped (save the green part for making stock or another dish)

• 400g baby new potatoes

• 1 tbsp olive oil plus 1 tsp

• 320g tomatoes (about 4 tomatoes), peeled if you like

• 1 tsp English or Dijon mustard (optional)

• 200ml vegetable oil

• Squeeze of lemon juice, to taste (optional)

• 4 x 125g tins mackerel, in oil or brine

• ¼ garlic clove, peeled (optional)

Method

1. Put 4 of the eggs in a pan of water and bring to the boil. Cover with a lid, turn off the heat and leave to cook in the residual heat for 8 minutes. Peel and quarter the eggs.

2. Put the peas in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave for 5 minutes then drain and mix with a pinch of salt and the chopped spring onion.

3. Meanwhile, slice the potatoes and cook in boiling water until tender (about 15 minutes). Drain and mix with 1 tsp of olive oil.

4. Slice the tomatoes.

5. Break the remaining egg into a small blender, add a pinch of salt and, if you have them, the mustard and garlic.

6. Set the machine running and drizzle in the vegetable oil gradually until it comes together to make a creamy mayonnaise.

7. Stir in a tablespoonful of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice, if you have any. Taste and add more salt or lemon juice.

8. Drain the mackerel and mix it gently, without breaking up the pieces too much, with 2 tbsp of the mayonnaise.

9. Arrange the mackerel with the boiled egg quarters, peas, potatoes and tomato slices on plates. Trickle a few more spoonfuls of mayo over the salad and serve.