Warm potatoes soak up a fresh sauce of parsley, capers and lemon. Smoked mackerel makes the salad hearty and savoury, while radishes add a crisp, peppery contrast.
This meal salad is all about contrast, without the flavours crowding one another out. Potato provides a soft, satisfying base, smoked mackerel brings saltiness and smoke, and radishes add a fresh bite. The green sauce brings everything together: parsley is herby, capers are tangy and salty, and lemon keeps the whole thing bright. Since the fish already has a pronounced flavour, the sauce doesn’t need to be heavy or creamy.
Potatoes take up dressing better while they’re still warm. Their surface is then soft and slightly moist, so the oil and lemon juice cling to them instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl. Cook them until tender, but not so long that they fall apart: firm chunks will hold their shape when you toss the salad. Small waxy potatoes work well for this. In spring, new potatoes are a good choice; outside that season, baby potatoes or other waxy potatoes work just as well.
Radishes are widely available, especially in spring and summer. Slice them thinly for an even crunch, or a little thicker if you want more bite. Parsley makes up most of the sauce; flat-leaf parsley gives it a softer texture than curly parsley, but either works. Use capers from a jar and taste the sauce before adding extra salt: the capers and mackerel already bring quite a bit. No capers on hand? Finely chopped gherkin also adds acidity and a little crunch, though the sauce will be less briny.
Flake the mackerel into large pieces and only fold it in at the very end. That way, the fish stays in distinct pieces and the salad won’t turn mushy. Choose smoked mackerel fillet with the bones removed, and check the fillet once more for any remaining pin bones before using. The salad is filling enough as a main course; serve it with crusty bread if you like, to mop up the green sauce. A simple cucumber or green salad goes well with it if you want to keep the meal lighter. Store leftovers covered in the fridge and follow the storage instructions on the packaging for the opened fish.
Wash the potatoes and halve any larger ones so the pieces are roughly the same size. Cook them in a pan of salted water for 15–20 minutes, until tender; the tip of a knife should slide in easily. Drain.
Meanwhile, make the green sauce: roughly chop the parsley and put it in a tall measuring jug with the capers, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, water, salt and pepper. Blend with a stick blender until you have a coarse, spoonable sauce. Add a small splash of water if needed.
Slice the radishes thinly. Use your fingers to break the mackerel fillet into large flakes and remove any remaining pin bones.
Put the warm potatoes in a large bowl and fold in the green sauce. Leave to stand for 5 minutes so the potatoes can absorb the dressing. Fold in the radishes and taste; add a little more salt or lemon juice if needed.
Gently arrange the mackerel on top, or very loosely fold the flakes through the salad. Serve warm.
Main courseSweet corn, a splash of cream and a squeeze of lime make a hearty soup with both tender and whole kernels. Crispy tortilla strips, cilantro and chili oil bring freshness, heat and crunch to every bowl.
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Main courseGolden brown and crisp at the edges, soft inside: these courgette and corn fritters get a fresh lift from lime yogurt and a little heat from chili oil. Serve them as a main course with a crunchy salad.