Smoked Mackerel Mousseline

Last year when I was living in Kailua, Hawaii, my friend Iwona taught me how to make her Polish fish and cheese spread. We would make a batch in the morning while we waited for a loaf of fresh bread to bake – the best partner we could imagine for the spread. Recently I’ve been craving this satisfying combination almost as much as I have been craving a return trip to Kailua. Iwona’s version is chunky; she simply mashes the ingredients together with a fork. I wanted to glam it up a bit and pass it off as a sophisticated appetizer. Enter, the mousseline.

By the strictest of definitions, this is not a mousseline though I suppose you could add whipped cream at the end with favorable, maybe even delicious results. The third definition for mousseline according to the Food Lover’s Companion is “any of various dishes or baked goods that have a light and delicate texture.” And light and delicate is exactly how I would describe this tasty spread. The silky texture and color reminded me of good tahini. It’s creamy without being too rich thanks in part to the slightly tangy cheeses.

Spread it on fresh bread or crostini in the winter and thick slices of fresh cucumber in the summer.

Smoked Mackerel Mousseline

Ingredients

6 oz smoked mackerel (Approximately an 8-10 ounce whole smoked fish)
3 oz cream cheese
6 oz farmers cheese*
horseradish, optional
2 scallions, thinly sliced

Preparation

1. Carefully separate the fish from the bones.
2. Combine fish and cheeses (and horseradish if using) in a food processor and blend until smooth.
3. Spoon into a serving bowl and top with sliced scallions.

* Note: Farmers cheese is a soft, unripened white cheese. If you can’t find it locally, simply combine three parts ricotta with one part sour cream. Some people use cottage cheese as a substitute, but I don’t like the texture.