Mackerel rillettes
This recipe for mackerel rillettes (or potted mackerel) starts with poaching the fish. The flesh is then taken off the bones and forked into a seasoned mixture of butter, mustard, cream and lemon juice.
In France this is traditionally eaten as an aperitif snack, served on small slices of toast.
In France this is traditionally eaten as an aperitif snack, served on small slices of toast.
44K 5 3
Last modified on: June 19th 2019
Keywords for this recipe:
4 mackerel
2 tablespoons 
144 ml 
4 tablespoons 
2 tablespoons French mustard
4 tablespoons lemon juice
chive flowers (optional)
How long does it take?
Time required for this recipe:
| Preparation | Cooking | Start to finish |
|---|---|---|
| 40 min. | 20 min. | 1 hour |
At what time:
- When will I finish if I start the recipe at ... ?
When should I start for the recipe to be ready at ... ? - Work this out...
Step by step recipe
Stage 1
Ask your fishmonger to prepare 4 mackerel for you: cleaned and the head cut off.
Stage 2 - 3 min.
Rinse thoroughly under cold running water, then put in a large pan of cold water with 2 tablespoons coarse salt.
Stage 3 - 20 min.
Put on low heat and poach gently at a simmer for about 10 minutes.
Ideally, check the temperature of the fish flesh with an electronic thermometer. It will be cooked once the centre of the thickest part reaches 122°F (50°C).
Ideally, check the temperature of the fish flesh with an electronic thermometer. It will be cooked once the centre of the thickest part reaches 122°F (50°C).
Stage 4 - 30 min.
Remove the mackerel from the poaching water and leave to cool, then take all the flesh off the bones and discard the rest (skin, bones, etc.).
Unfortunately, there's no getting away from it: this is a long and tedious job.
Put all the boned flesh into a bowl.
Unfortunately, there's no getting away from it: this is a long and tedious job.
Put all the boned flesh into a bowl.
Stage 5 - 5 min.
Stage 6 - 2 min.
Mix well with a fork.
Check the seasoning. Transfer into jars and leave overnight, at least, in the fridge.
Check the seasoning. Transfer into jars and leave overnight, at least, in the fridge.
Stage 7
When you want to serve your rilletes, toast some slices of bread (rounds of French baguette here).
Stage 8
Spread the rillettes generously on the toast and decorate, if you like, with a few chive flowers. Then enjoy!
Remarks
Do feel free to vary either the ingredients or the amounts in this recipe. The general spirit of it is: poached mackerel flesh, a little butter and/or cream, herbs and spices of your choice, plus a hint of acidity (normally lemon juice, but vingar or white wine will also work).
For a tastier version, poach the mackerel in a fish stock, rather than salted water.
For a tastier version, poach the mackerel in a fish stock, rather than salted water.
Keeping
A few days in the fridge, in a sealed jar.
Source
Home made.
Nutritional information
| Whole recipe | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Energetic value | Proteins | Carbohydrates | Fats |
| 3,759 Kcal or 15,738 Kj | 313 gr | 17 gr | 270 gr |
| 139 % | 89 % | 1 % | 30 % |
| Per 100 g | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Energetic value | Proteins | Carbohydrates | Fats |
| 219 Kcal or 917 Kj | 18 gr | 1 gr | 16 gr |
| 8 % | 5 % | <1 % | 2 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 600 g : 5.06 £
Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
This recipe uses (among others)
 | Butter: You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Sautéed Green Vegetables in pan, Potimarron (chestnut pumpkin) "au gratin", Plain cake, How to prepare cockles, Turban of sole with langoustines, ... All |
 | Lemon juice: You can check-out other recipes which use it, like for example: Macarons (the original French macaroons) , Brussels sprouts salad with smoked trout and Comté cheese, Peach and verbena feuilleté, Red mullet fillets in a quick marinade, Tarte Jurassienne, ... All |
 | Cream: You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Baker's chicken and potato tart, Curried prawn risotto, Lille style chicken, Nanou's tuna tart, Quick chicken curry, ... All |
 | Mackerel: You can check-out other recipes which use it, like for example: Mackerel Fillets in White Wine, ... All |
Other recipes you may also like
Passion fruit jellies
Usually to make fruit jellies or (fruit "paste"), it's like jam but you need to cook fruit pulp and sugar much longer. Unfortunately, this long cooking is bad for both vitamins and flavour. In this recipe we use a special jam gelling agent, to reduce cooking time as much as possible .321K4 2 hours 30 min. July 4th 2018
French croissants
In this famous and highly technical recipe from a piece of yeast-based flaky dough we are going to cut and shape ("roll") croissants.608K 24.4 2 hours 34 min. June 26th 2019
Natural leaven
Leaven is a natural raising agent, a fermented mixture of water, flour and the microscopic yeasts which are present in the air. It's a delicate living substance, sensitive to the external environment. The recipe is around 4000 years old and dates back to the Egypt of the Pharaohs, via a beautiful...1.7M 304.0 7 days 15 min. April 3rd 2020
How to cook pasta properly
Here is some advice for pasta that's properly cooked and doesn't stick.1.1M4.4 22 min. July 18th 2019
Chocolate eclairs
This might appear to be a straightforward recipe: choux pastry, chocolate confectioner's custard and fondant icing, but in practice it is quite technically tricky and all three stages need care to produce a perfect result. But don't let that discourage you; there are demonstration videos and I will...290K 34.5 3 hours 52 min. February 6th 2011
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2024-05-26)
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Post your comment or question
Follow this recipe
If you are interested in this recipe, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the recipe is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.