Smoked mackerel sandwich

If you're lucky enough to get free bread at work, you can always make yourself a sandwich for lunch - just bring in the filling ingredients.

While I was on a secondment we got free bread, so one day I made this filling:

1 smoked mackerel fillet, broken up a little
A few cornichon, finely chopped
A parsley sprig, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon capers, finely chopped
A squeeze lemon juice
A squeeze salad cream

Mix all the ingredients together. I know people (ie Ollie) think salad cream is tacky, but I think it's lovely. It contains less fat than mayonnaise, and has more flavour.

When you're ready for lunch, toast 2 slices wholemeal or granary bread and spread one side with the filling. Top with a handful of rocket or watercress then with the other slice of toast.

You don't need a photo of a sandwich. 

This year's apple chutney #1

Everything is happening a month early. The plums were harvested 3 weeks ago, and the apples are falling on the ground. It's not even half way through August.

Happily for me this means I can make lots of chutney, which will be perfect for Christmas presents.

This is a variation on apple #2 from last year, which I think was the tastiest of last year's chutneys - I suspect because of the cider vinegar. I used malt vinegar in this recipe because I didn't have cider vinegar and was too lazy to go to Sains for some. The other changes were also based on what was to hand. The apples came from Lisa's apple tree and are eaters, so the chutney will be on the sweet side. I ran out of apples but found one that had fallen from a tree lying on the ground round the corner.

Apple chutney ingredients

• 1.5 kg eating apples
• 250g cooking apples
• 400g raisins
• 150g dates
• 1kg soft dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon crushed died chillies
• 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
• 1 double thumb-sized piece root ginger, grated
• 1 teaspoon peppercorns
• 1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
• 1 teaspoon cloves
• 1 tablespoon allspice berries
• 2 teaspoons salt
• Juice 1/2 lemon

 How to make apple chutney

1. Put everything in a preserving pan, bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer. 
2. Continue to cook until thick - count on this taking between 2 and 4 hours
3. Turn off the heat and leave to cool down a little.
4. Pot into warm sterilized jars.
5. Label and date.

Since every jar of chutney looks pretty much the same as the next, I haven't bothered with a photo.

For my own reference, this was made on 16 August 2014.