Smoked fish was an absolute staple of my childhood – I used to have smoked mackerel with horseradish in my lunchbox – and if I have some form of smoked fish in the fridge, I feel there is always going to be, instantly, something to eat. Pepper and lemon, that’s all you need to add to it. And it’s a gift to the cook in a hurry: this pâté takes the merest moment to make and yet it is a wonderful start to a meal or, indeed, a whole meal in itself. I don’t even need a salad with it: I’m happy with toast, crusty bread, or maybe even some good shop-bought English muffins or cheese scones, along with a few cornichons (baby gherkins) and any other tangy pickle. This doesn’t make very much, but it’s filling and also – which is obviously how I like it – full of pep. If you want something a little milder, with less boisterous heat, then add a mere sprinkling of cayenne.

2 smoked trout fillets, approx. 125g total weight

2 x 15ml tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

50g Philadelphia cream cheese 2 x 15ml tablespoons olive oil

1 x 15ml tablespoon horseradish sauce

1 Put all the ingredients into a blender or food processor and blitz until smooth and pâtélike.

2 Spoon the mixture into a bowl (I use a small terracotta dish of about 12cm diameter), scraping out any mixture remaining in the processor with a spatula. Cover the bowl with clingfilm, and place in the fridge to chill.

Serves 4 as a starter

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