Nearly Fortnum's — Potted Mackerel with Ghee

Before Fortnum & Mason made potted fish expensive, the fishermen of Morecambe Bay were doing it properly. Potted Brown Shrimp — tiny, sweet, spiced, sealed under clarified butter — was the local staple when I lived in Grange-over-Sands, looking out over the Bay. Mine came from Furness Fish at Flookburgh, a small village on the Cartmel Peninsula where they still catch brown shrimps by tractor on the sands at low tide. Baxters of Morecambe have been potting them since 1799. Fortnum's since 1707. This morning the bio ghee arrived at Casa Adora. This took twenty minutes. This is a smoked mackerel pate recipe with a Morecambe Bay soul and a Piccadilly name.

Potted fish is one of the oldest preservation techniques in British cooking — a layer of clarified fat poured over seasoned, flaked fish and left to set. The fat seal keeps the air out, concentrates the flavour, and turns a simple tin of mackerel into something worth presenting in a jar. Fortnum & Mason understood this. So did the fishermen of Morecambe Bay. So, now, does Casa Adora.

This is a smoked mackerel pate recipe in the potted fish tradition — built on tinned mackerel, bio ghee, lemon, parsley and a pinch of smoked paprika. No cooking. Twenty minutes. One small jar.

Tinned Mackerel Recipes — Why the Tin Works

Potted fish was historically a way to preserve already-cooked fish — which means tinned mackerel is not a shortcut, it's the correct ingredient. Already cooked, easy to flake, stable texture, and the ghee sets around it perfectly. The tradition and the convenience align for once.

The bio ghee does what clarified butter does — it sets firm, seals the surface, and adds a clean richness that olive oil cannot replicate. It is also, unlike butter, shelf-stable at room temperature, which matters in Andalucía in September when the kitchen is 43.8°C and the fridge is doing serious work.

The Smoked Mackerel Variation

The primary keyphrase is smoked mackerel pate recipe — and this works equally well with smoked mackerel. A tin of smoked mackerel in sunflower oil, drained and flaked, produces a deeper, smokier result that needs less paprika and benefits from a little PX instead. Both versions work. Both are tinned mackerel recipes worth making regularly.

Nearly Fortnum's — The Honest Version

Fortnum's would charge considerably more. The jar would be prettier. The label would be embossed. The mackerel would be described as "hand-picked" and the butter as "English". The result would be broadly similar to what is cooling in the fridge at Casa Adora right now, in a recycled jam jar, on a Friday afternoon in 43.8°C heat.

Ingredients

(Makes 1 small jar — serves 1–2 as a starter or light lunch)

• 1 tin mackerel in oil, drained and flaked
• 60–80g bio ghee, melted
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1–2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1 small garlic clove, very finely grated
• Salt and black pepper
• ¼ tsp smoked paprika (optional but recommended)
• ½ tsp PX (optional — adds warmth and depth)

To serve:

• Toasted buckwheat sourdough
• Pepino slices
• Lemon wedge

Method

Flake:
Drain the mackerel and flake into a bowl, removing any skin or bones.

Season:
Add lemon juice, lemon zest, parsley, garlic, smoked paprika and black pepper. Mix well. Taste before adding salt — tinned mackerel is often salty enough.

Bind:
Stir in half the melted ghee to bind everything into a soft, cohesive paste.

Pack:
Pack tightly into a small jar or ramekin, pressing down to remove air pockets.

Seal:
Pour the remaining melted ghee over the top to seal completely. The ghee layer should cover the surface entirely.

Chill:
Refrigerate until set — at least 1 hour. The ghee will turn pale and firm.

Serve:
On toasted buckwheat sourdough with pepino slices and a squeeze of lemon.

Keeps 5–7 days in the fridge under the ghee seal.

Chef's Notes

Smoked mackerel version: use a tin of smoked mackerel in sunflower oil in place of plain. Reduce the smoked paprika to a pinch and add ½ tsp PX instead. Deeper, smokier, slightly more festive.

The ghee seal: the seal must cover the surface completely — any exposed fish will deteriorate faster. If the ghee layer cracks when you first open it, add a little more melted ghee and return to the fridge.

Potted Brown Shrimp: the Morecambe Bay original — tiny brown shrimps, spiced butter, the same technique. Furness Fish at Flookburgh on the Cartmel Peninsula still do it properly. Worth seeking out if you're ever in the north of England.

Fortnum & Mason: founded 1707, 181 Piccadilly. They have been potting, preserving and presenting things in expensive jars for longer than most countries have existed. This is the home version. The postcode is different. The principle is identical.

Potted Langostinos — Spiced in Ghee

Smoked Trout Recipe — Potted with Caraway, Dill & Lemon

This smoked mackerel pate recipe is featured in my Nearly Series hub — homemade versions of the condiments worth making yourself.
It also features in my Pâté & Rillettes Recipes hub and my Fish & Seafood Recipes hub.
Find more recipes and food adventures here.
Wonky photos, proper food, genuine adventures — The Flexible Chef