Smoked mackerel croquettes with beetroot puree - a bite-sized classy canape that is unbelievably easy to make!
Looking for easy canape ideas? This smoked mackerel recipe is one of my favourite canapes to serve at dinner parties, they're rich yet light, crispy on the outside and smooth on the inside. The herbs and lemon zest add a wonderfully fresh taste and the sweet beetroot puree is a perfect complement for the crispy smoked fish croquettes.
Their small size means we can shallow fry, and get a light and crispy exterior from the panko crumb but without the hassle of having to deep fat fry.
Mackerel is an oily fish full of protein and fatty acids, and it lends itself particularly well to hot smoking. You can also use trout as an alternative smoked fish in this recipe if you prefer.
You can use pre-packaged smoked mackerel fillets or buy fresh mackerel and smoke it yourself using wood chips. Hot smoking fish yourself is such a treat and it tastes amazing, but I understand that not everyone has this equipment or the time.
I also usually buy cooked beetroot to make the beetroot puree for these easy canapes, although you can roast it yourself if you have some raw beetroot to hand!
You can shape these smoked mackerel croquettes however you like, little balls or flat patties work well, you can even put them on a stick as a savoury lollipop! I like to make mine into squares or oblongs sometimes and I use a pastry scraper to get that clean flat edge. But little round croquettes are easy and make delicious bite sizes canapes.
These smoked mackerel croquettes with beetroot puree work at any time of year whenever you need an elegant fish canape to serve at parties alongside some classy cocktails.
Looking for other easy canape ideas? Try these savoury profiteroles stuffed with goat cheese. Or this asparagus mousse amuse bouche works wonderfully well at dinner parties too.
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Ingredients
For this smoked mackerel recipe, you will need...
- Smoked mackerel fillets
- Potato
- Lemon zest
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Egg
- Plain flour
- Parsley
- Chives
- Beetroot
- Mascarpone cheese
- Cooking oil
- Salt and pepper
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Peel your potatoes and put them in a saucepan of salted water. Bring to a boil and cook for 5-10 minutes until tender. Drain and leave them in the colander to completely steam dry.
Meanwhile, make your beetroot puree by blending cooked beetroot with mascarpone cheese and season with salt and pepper. Set to one side.
Flake your smoked mackerel fillets with a fork into small pieces.
Finely dice your herbs, zest the lemon and prepare your panko station.
Take 3 bowls or Tupperware containers and place the flour into one, the egg into another and the panko breadcrumbs into the third.
In a large bowl, mash your potato and then mix with the flaked smoked mackerel fillets, lemon zest and herbs.
Take a large teaspoon of the smoked mackerel and potato mixture. and shape it into a ball with your hands. Press it together to compress it, then roll it to form a sphere.
Panko the smoked mackerel croquettes by dipping them first into the flour, making sure each side is coated.
Then dip them into the egg, and then into the panko breadcrumbs.
Heat a small frying pan with oil. Using a small frying pan allows you to get a deeper layer of oil for optimum shallow frying, aim for a depth of half a centimetre.
When the oil is shimmering, fry the smoked mackerel croquettes in small batches turning occasionally to get each side golden and crispy.
Place the smoked fish croquettes onto kitchen paper to soak up any excess oil after cooking, and then put them on your serving plate.
Using a teaspoon or a piping bag, place a small amount of beetroot puree on top of each smoked mackerel croquette. Finish with a small sprig of chive, and serve.
Wine pairing for smoked mackerel
We need something that cuts through the oiliness of the smoked fish and also stands up to the smoky flavour - so try a Portuguese Abariño, a white Burgundy or sparkling rose champagne.
Substitutions and Variations
Here are a few ways to adapt this smoked fish croquette recipe and make it work for you.
- Smoked fish - instead of smoked mackerel, try smoked trout instead.
- Gluten free - use gluten free flour and breadcrumbs to make this gluten free.
- Herbs - experiment with herbs, try dill or chervil instead.
Leftover beetroot? Make this beetroot and walnut hummus.
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Three smaller bowls or Tupperware containers
- Small frying pan
- Blender or food processor
- Serving platter
Storage
Store any leftover smoked mackerel croquettes in the fridge and gently reheat in the oven. Good for 2-3 days.
You could also freeze the croquettes after the panko stage but before frying them. Use within a month.
Top tip
Designate each of your hands as 'wet' or 'dry' and keep them separate by using one hand to dip in the egg and the other to coat in the panko. This helps you to avoid getting more panko on yourself than on the smoked mackerel croquettes.
Recipe Card
Smoked Mackerel Croquettes With Beetroot Puree
Equipment
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Frying pan
- 1 blender or food processor
- 3 Tupperware containers or small bowls
Ingredients
- 2 smoked mackerel fillets
- 300 grams potato
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest (grated)
- 75 grams panko breadcrumbs
- 100 grams plain flour
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon parsley
Beetroot puree
- 2 beetroot
- 1 tablespoon Mascarpone cheese
- 1 tablespoon chives
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Peel potatoes, cut into chunks and put them in a saucepan of salted water. Bring to a boil and cook for 10-15 minutes or until tender. Drain and leave them in the colander to completely steam dry.
- Blend cooked beetroot with mascarpone cheese and season with salt and pepper. Set to one side.
- Flake your smoked mackerel fillets with a fork into small pieces. Finely dice your herbs, zest the lemon.
- Prepare your panko station. Take 3 bowls or Tupperware containers and place the flour into one, the egg into another, and the panko breadcrumbs into the third.
- Mash your potato in a large mixing bowl and then mix with the flaked smoked mackerel fillets, lemon zest and herbs.
- Take a large teaspoon of the smoked mackerel and potato mixture. and shape it into a ball with your hands. Press it together to compress it, then roll it to form a sphere.
- Panko the smoked mackerel croquettes by dipping them first into the flour, making sure each side is coated. Then dip them into the egg, and then into the panko breadcrumbs.
- Heat a small frying pan with oil. Using a small frying pan allows you to get a deeper layer of oil for optimum shallow frying, aim for a depth of half a centimeter.
- When the oil is shimmering, fry the smoked mackerel croquettes in small batches turning occasionally to get each side golden and crispy.
- Place the smoked fish croquettes onto kitchen paper to soak up any excess oil after cooking, and then put them on your serving plate.
- Using a teaspoon, place a small amount of beetroot puree on top of each smoked mackerel croquette. Garnish with a small sprig of chive, and serve.
Beth says
These were delicious and so easy to make! I loved the flavours of smoked mackerel and beetroot together too
Lulu says
How much mascarpone is needed for this recipe?
Rosanna Stevens says
Hi Lulu, apologies for that oversight! I have amended the recipe card, but just a tablespoon - not much at all. Alternatively, you could use cream cheese or even a small amount of whipped heavy cream.