omega omega | beetroot & celeriac with smoked mackerel

This salad is an ode to two unsung food heroes. The unassuming knobbly celeriac root has a deliciously fresh, minerally flavour and smooth creamy flesh, which is pepped up here with a grating of beetroot, a lemony, peppery crème fraîche dressing and scattering of parsley and pumpkin seeds.

The iridescent, striped skin of smoked mackerel is best slightly scorched and its rich oiliness proves the ideal foil for the freshness of the rose tinted remoulade. Accompanied a hunk of generously buttered treacly bread, this is a great lunch.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1/2 medium sized celeriac

4 cooked beetroots

25g flat leaf parsley

Dsp olive oil

50g pumpkin seeds

3 tbsp creme fraiche (full fat ideally)

1/2 tsp dijon mustard

1/2 a lemon

3 tsp horseradish sauce

Salt and pepper

4 smoked mackerel fillets

Peel and roughly grate the celeriac and beetroot (I did this in the Magimix). Heat the olive oil in a wide frying pan and toast the pumpkin seeds for a few minutes, until golden and crackling, season with salt and set aside. Finely chop half of the parsley.

Combine the creme fraiche, mustard, horseradish, squeeze of lemon and season. Adjust to taste. Stir most of the dressing into the beetroot, celeriac and parsley. It may not require all of the dressing, but any left over can be eaten on the side. Serve in a wide bowl, sprinkled with the remaining parsley and the pumpkin seeds.

Grill the mackerel, skin side up until heated through - the skin may split. Serve with hunks of bread and butter.