Smoked mackerel salad with poached egg

Serves 4

Most of the smoked mackerel I've tried seems to be fine - as long as it's not vac packed. It's a much safer bet than smoked salmon, and it's a healthy fish, too. Mackerel is so oily it can take a severe smoking.

Most of the smoked mackerel I've tried seems to be fine - as long as it's not vac packed. It's a much safer bet than smoked salmon, and it's a healthy fish, too. Mackerel is so oily it can take a severe smoking.

2 smoked mackerel fillets
1 small head of frisée lettuce (about 120- 150g), trimmed, washed and broken into bite-size pieces
4 spring onions, finely chopped
4 medium eggs

for the dressing

1tbsp good-quality tarragon vinegar
2tsp Dijon mustard
1tsp grated horseradish or creamed horseradish if you haven't any fresh
2tbsp olive oil
2tbsp vegetable or corn oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

First, make the dressing. Put all the ingredients into a clean bottle or jar. Give them a good shake and leave to infuse, preferably overnight, at room temperature.

Flake the mackerel away from the skin in nice chunks, ensuring there are no bones. Poach the eggs until the white is firm but the yolk still runny. Drain on kitchen paper. Meanwhile dress the frisée with two thirds of the dressing and season. Fold in the chopped spring onion and mackerel and arrange on plates. Place the poached egg in the middle of the leaves and drizzle over some more dressing. Add some croûtons, fried in olive oil, if you like.