Serves 4

For the chutney:2 large red onions, finely sliced1 thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped2 garlic cloves, finely chopped3 cooked beetroot (beets), roughly chopped½ tsp Chinese five spice4 tbsp soft light brown sugar100 ml/3½ fl oz/7 tbsp red wine vinegar100 ml/3½ fl oz/7 tbsp red wine

For the pâté:4 fillets of smoked mackerel, skin and pin bones removed2 cooked beetroot (beets) (not the ones in vinegar), cut into small cubessmall handful of parsley, finely chopped1 tbsp freshly grated horseradish1 garlic clove, finely choppedjuice of ½ a lemon2 tbsp crème fraîchesourdough or soda bread, to serve

Method

Make the chutney at least a week in advance. It will keep for a few weeks and works really well with cheese or with cold meats, as well as in sandwiches.

Combine all the chutney ingredients in a saucepan. Top up with water, until it just reaches the level of the ingredients. Bring up to a simmer and cook for about 3 hours over a very low heat, stirring at least every30 minutes, until the ingredients soften, darken and the liquid has evaporated. You will need to stir more frequently the drier the mixture gets. Set aside to cool.

You can transfer it to a sterilized jar, if wished. It will keep for 2–3 weeks in the fridge.

For the pâté, flake the mackerel fillets into a mixing bowl and add the rest of the ingredients, stirring vigorously with a fork. Don’t mix it in a blender, as you would lose the texture. Once fully combined, transfer to a serving bowl and serve with the chutney and some bread. The pâté will keep for up to 1 week in the fridge in a lidded container.