Spring bruschetta with smoked mackerel and pickled rhubarb by Kathy Slack

A quick plate of nibbles to showcase the best of the Spring produce from the Cotswolds. A speedy smoked mackerel pate with quick pickled (and homegrown) rhubarb, then a raw asparagus salad with herbs from the patch, pine nuts and rapeseed oil. All piled generously atop homemade sourdough bread.

Cook along with Kathy Slack:

Details:

• Serves: 4 as a nibble
• Prep time: 20 minutes
• Cook time: 10 minutes
• Total time: 20 minutes

Seafood gratin ingredients:

• 4 slices sourdough bread
• Cold press rapeseed oil
• 1 garlic clove
• 8-10 asparagus spears
• 1 lemon, juice and zest
• Tablespoon of pine nuts, toasted
• 100g smoked mackerel
• 75g creme fraiche
• 2 tbsp chopped herbs (such as dill, chervil, parsley, chives, sorrel)
• 1 stick rhubarb
• 1 tbsp runny honey
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar

How to make:

1. Start with the bruschetta. Pre-heat the oven to 200C.
2. Drizzle the bread with the extra virgin olive oil, making sure all sides are well coated.
3. Peel the garlic clove and slice it in half from top to bottom. Rub the cut sides all over the bread. Give it some wellie, the more battered the clove, the more the garlic juices will infuse into the bread.
4. Sprinkle the bread with a pinch of flaky salt and roast in the oven for 15 minutes, turning over half way, until golden and crispy.

For the asparagus topping

1. Use a vegetable peeler to shave the asparagus into ribbons.
2. Toss in a slug of rapeseed oil, 1/2 the lemon juice, all the zest, a pinch of salt, and the pine nuts, then combine and set aside so the ribbons can soften in the dressing.

For the mackerel

1. Flake the fish into a bowl and mix with the creme fraiche, herbs, a squeeze of lemon and some salt and pepper.
2. Finely dice the rhubarb and shake it up in a jam jar with the honey and vinegar. Set aside for a few moments to mingle.
3. By now the sourdough should be golden and crisp. Remove from the oven, pile the asparagus on half the toasts and the mackerel and pickled rhubarb (drained) on the other.Serve with a glass of something pink and chilled in the sunshine.

Credit – © Gluts and Gluttony