So what about a gorgeous filled of smokey smoked mackerel and lentils in the good company of fresh watercress, a simple but creamy sour cream sauce and a freshly poached egg on top… Why? Because this flavor combo is absolutely delicious!
I will be very honest with you here on this one.
For this smoked mackerel and lentils dish I tried to think like the chefs would in St. John Bread & Wine in London. I say ‘tried’. Because the food those chefs back there prepare are hands down my kind of cooking. Honest and local ingredients and even home grown vegetables and herbs.
The absolute best of the best.
St. John London
It doesn’t matter whether it’s about suckling lamb, or fresh pig trotters.
Or the best goat cheese. Even their in house baked sourdough bread is to die for. And then you haven’t tried their lovely wines and beers that go so well with the dishes they create!
Behind this lovely restaurant is head chef and local celebrity chef Fergus Henderson.
And my all time favorite chef.
Fergus Henderson
Have you heard of him before?
I can still taste that lamb croquette and smell the pig snout stew we had there at his restaurant at St John Bread & Wine a few years back. My kind of cuisine and ingredients. Nothing fancy and all about good products and the best ingredients you can possibly find.
I love it!
Easy Smoked Mackerel And Lentils
OK so back to this recipe again.
Crucial here for me to think about: keep it down to earth and combine delicious flavors and ingredients.
I really tried to copy their style here and then tried even harder to come up with a dish that would maybe fit on their menu. Code words: smoked mackerel, lentils, sour cream, poached egg and watercress.
I also added some pink pepper in the end as well. Looked like some great balanced flavors to me. Verdict in the end, yep spot on.
Both the hubs and me truly love it!
Enjoy!
Easy Smoked Mackerel And Lentils Recipe
Smoked mackerel and lentils with fresh watercress, a sour cream sauce and a freshly poached egg on top... Absolutely delicious!
- 2 fresh mackerel fillets (smoked)
- 7 oz canned lentils (200 g), drained weight
- 3 tbsp fresh carrots diced
- 1 medium garlic clove chopped
- 3 tbsp onion diced
- 3 tbsp fresh celery diced
- 2 handfuls fresh watercress
- 2 tbsp sour cream
- ⅓ cup cream (80 ml)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
- 2 eggs
- olive oil
- pepper
- salt
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Add the garlic, bay leaves, the fresh rosemary and a little olive oil to a casserole and then place this over medium heat.
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Gently fry the garlic and herbs for 3 minutes. Drain and rinse the canned lentils in the meantime. Add the diced carrot, celery and onion to the cooked garlic and then season with a pinch of pepper and salt.
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Stir and then cook the veg for 5 minutes. The stir in the drained lentils.
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Add a bit of water and put a lid on the pan. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes more. Then pour in the cream.
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Put the lid back on the pan and simmer the lentils in the cream over very low heat. In the meantime clean and rinse the watercress. Then add the freshly chopped parsley to the creamy cooked lentils.
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Check the seasoning and add extra pepper to taste if necessary. Then take the pan off the heat and stir in the sour cream until it has melted. Place the mackerel fillet on top of the lentils and place the lid back on the pan to warm them through over low heat. In the meantime poach the eggs.
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Scoop the lentils onto deep warm plates. Top with the watercress the mackerel. Add the poached egg. Serve immediately.
